Once a Hero
by Drixxy
Summary: And she shouted back, "I'll be the memory you wish you could forget, and the one you can never erase. Goodbye, Dark Ace… I hope you're happy."
1. Lora

_Ace_

Once a hero… I had the girl of my dreams, all the fame and friends I could ask for… I had the perfect life.

But someone said they could make it better… She promised me fame and a higher rank, more respect—she wouldn't treat me like a kid. She said she was beginning the era of the new world, that Sky Knights were quickly fading out and Talons were replacing them. I wanted that power… I craved what I didn't have.

Cyclonia had the power to begin with, quickly defeated by the Sky Knights. I thought I wanted to have that fame… but I was nothing more than a kid to them.

The way she put the offer on the table made it seem so much more appetizing than the life of a Sky Knight. I was willing to risk everything, put everything on the line, for this. I would change their minds, I thought. I would show them, I would tell them how much better it was.

I lost everything, but I gained so much more.

ooo

Terra Neon—a place of excitement, entertainment, and spoiled, overpriced corndogs. It can be quite overwhelming if you didn't have an agenda there. I knew where I was going… but I could've easily gotten lost. I was allowed a break, so I left.

At Neon from dawn until dusk, I crawled through the crowds and escaped, finding the perfect place to rest while I waited for the terra to clear up. I sat down comfortably on the grimy bench, overlooking a star- and city lights-lit skyline. I sighed, closing my eyes. Though I had been fresh out of the Sky Knight academy, my life as a Storm Hawk was already incredibly hectic.

I scratched at my scalp, quickly sensing I wasn't alone. Upon opening my eyes, I was surprised to find a young girl sitting next to me. What's even worse is that I hadn't heard her sooner. "Who the _hell_ are you?"

She sniffed in. "Shut up."

"Whoa… rejection…," I laughed.

She folded her arms across her chest, rubbing an eye. "Just leave me alone, will you?"

"Hey, you sat on my bench, I was here first!" Trying to catch a glimpse of the girl's face in the moonlight, I caught more than a sad face. "Whoa… are you crying?"

"It's none of your business!" she growled, standing up.

I rolled my eyes. "Listen, princess!" I stood up as well. "You sat down next to me! You could've sat at any of the other empty benches!"

She turned around to face me directly. Next thing I knew my face was screaming, turning red from the force of her hand. "Don't you _dare_ call me princess!"

I rubbed my cheek. "God, hurt me when I'm only trying to help…" I rolled my eyes. "You're crying… and it's kind of my duty to help!"

"What?" She sniffed in. "Are… are you some kind of Sky Knight, 'er something?"

I nodded. "Would be nice to get some damn respect! I could arrest you for assault, you know!"

Her hands curled into her chest and the girl looked to her feet. "I'm… I'm so sorry… I'm not usually like this…" Slowly, the girl clutched her sides, sitting back down. "You… don't have to help me, I'm fine."

"You're not fine," I stated with a slight laugh, taking a seat next to her.

"No, I'm not, but you shouldn't be bothered with my problems."

"If that isn't the first time I've heard that… You know, this place gets pretty creepy after dark. Don't you wanna go home?"

She laughed wryly. "If I could go home, I wouldn't be here."

"What do you mean?"

She pulled a leg up onto the bench, hugging it close to her chest. "My supposed 'friends' ditched me. They were my ride…"

"You can't fly yet, eh?"

She shook her head.

Grinding my teeth behind a concerned expression, I knew what I would have to do. I would have to be the charming Sky Knight that I was and fly her home… wherever home was. "Look…," I sighed, standing up. "You're stuck here, right? I…" I rubbed my neck, examining the girl in the dim light. "I can fly you home. I don't have to be back until later."

She rubbed her nose. "No, just leave me here. I'll get home some other way, I don't want to bother you."

I reached forward and grabbed her arm, pulling her up. "Hey, I'm trying to be nice."

"So, what? If I deny your offer, you'll be mean?"

Caught in a loophole, I changed my direction. "No, I'll just have to convince you," I smiled, letting her go.

She crossed her arms, reaching up only to wipe off her face. "All right, Sky Knight, fine. If you really want to, you can take me home."

I smiled. "So, uh… what terra… exactly… do you live on?"

Smugly, the girl responded, "Mesa."

"Mesa?!" I sighed. Mesa was not only a long flight from here, but also a rough and partially blind flight.

"So… you still want to fly me home?"

Honestly, I had no choice. When someone was stranded, in trouble, or potentially in danger, I was required to do something about it. My feelings about the matter didn't have any merit. I was supposed to be selfless…

If I thought twice about doing something, it meant I wasn't truly good at heart. I see now what exactly was wrong with that statement.

"I have no choice."

She smiled.

I scratched at my scalp and ushered her forward, walking her in the direction of my Skimmer. I noted the walkways had cleared up quite a bit, lights were turned off one-by-one around the terra, straggling couples slowly making their way off the terra. I ignored the implications other might get from looking at me and the girl.

Quietly, once we were on our way through the terra, the girl spoke up. "My… my name is Lora."

I looked down toward her feet, looking back up toward her face. The crystal-lit streetlights dimmed, some unmaintained lights flickering, others were off entirely; they lit the walkway for us. I was able to get a better look at her, seeing a very distraught face finally take on a smile. Her eyes were dark without sunlight, but took on a blue hue. I smiled. They were innocent, unlike the burning red I had been cursed with.

Very fitting, I would later find out. Innocence and Evil.

"Ace," I returned, looking away from her.

"You're not a typical Sky Knight, are you?" she whispered.

"I'm just young," I denied the accusation.

She yawned. "Thank you… Ace…"

"For?" I looked up.

"For making me feel better."

I smiled. "I guess if you can say hitting me, yelling at me, me yelling back… if you can say that makes you feel better… then you're welcome."

She was quick to apologize for the assault. "I have a bit of a problem with 'princess'…"

I smiled. "Don't worry about it. I… I think I can feel my face again."

Lora leaned against me, yawning again.

Instinctively, I reached over and put my arm around her. As my hand hit her skin, I could feel just how cold she was. I regretted not bringing my jacket with me, though it was stuffed into my Skimmer. Once at the vehicle, I pulled up the seat and grabbed my jacket, handing it to Lora.

"I'm not cold…"

"Liar," I laughed. "Don't be modest."

She pulled on the oversized jacket, laughing. "Just by looking, you wouldn't know how different in size we are…"

Though it wasn't intended to be an insult, it could've been taken that way. "I'm a guy… I don't even know if the jacket fits _me_."

She laughed. "Men should pay more attention to what they wear."

I climbed onto my Skimmer and shoved he keys into the ignition, turning over the engine. Once Lora was safely on the bike, I flew off land's edge and headed toward Mesa as fast as I possibly could.

ooo

Even if I was only Lightning Strike's co-pilot, I wasn't entirely incompetent as a pilot alone. I managed to fly through low-visibility caused by clouds at night, and make it to Mesa safely. Getting to her house wasn't that difficult either, but we were both tired so communication was rough.

I leaned on the bike, my feet on the ground. Lora clung to me lazily, too dazed to realize I had stopped and even turned off the bike. "Lora…"

She growled in protest, "What?"

"Come on, we're here."

She looked up slowly, letting go of me. "Good…"

I pulled the keys from my Skimmer and climbed off the bike after her. Lora fumbled with her own keys, trying to unlock the door. "Thanks for taking me home…" Though, the second the door was open, a beast charged through and escaped from her house. "Dammit," she sighed. "Blue!"

I glanced toward the creature before looking at the girl. "Do you want me to…"

She smiled. "If you could."

I sighed, trying to follow the creature's path in the darkness. Lora stood in the doorway, watching my every move. Suddenly, the creature ran toward my legs and I caught him by his collar. It was Lora's dog. From both the size of the dog and the texture of the fur, I could tell he was a bit of an elderly dog. "Blue, eh?" I smiled, scratching at the dog's head before struggling to get him back into the house.

Once he was back in the house, Lora quickly shut the door. She shoved the keys back into her pocket and looked at me. The girl then wrapped her arms around me. "Thanks… Not the first time you've saved my ass today."

Unsure if I should accept the hug or back away from it, I slowly brought my arms around her as well, though I was rigid while she was welcoming. I smiled. "You're… welcome? It… it really was nothing."

"Ace," she glanced over her shoulder, "—it's midnight. You were flying for two hours, at least! You didn't have to do that… I mean, I hit you. I yelled at you. I insulted you!"

"I've been through worse…," I laughed. I couldn't entirely tell her that I had no choice, that it was what I was trained to do. It would make me seem obligated and put the guilt on her shoulders when in the end… I didn't feel forced. I felt proud and quite glad I'd helped.

She sluggishly pulled away, sniffing in. Her composure was quite tired and I knew she needed rest—hell, I needed to get back before Striker got worried.

"Lora?" called an older, tired voice from inside the house. When her old man opened the door, I stepped backward, away from the door. "Who's that?" he asked.

"This is Ace. Calleigh… ditched me on Neon. He flew me home."

Like an over-protective father, he barked for me to step forward, into the light. "Hm."

"Sir…," I greeted him quietly.

"Dad, he's a Sky Knight. He's fine."

I sent the man a nervous grin.

Still distrusting of me, he demanded Lora to get inside. "It's past curfew."

"Just give me a minute to thank him. Please?"

"But, you—" I tried to correct her, knowing she'd already thanked me, but the moment she sent me a glare, I shut up. For some reason, I was actually afraid of the girl. To this day, she still scares me.

"…You have two minutes. If you're not inside, I won't hesitate to kill him."

I laughed nervously, taking another step back.

"Dad!" she chided.

Muttering a few profanities, the man trudged back into the house.

Lora followed after me, disappearing into the darkness with me. "Forget about him. He's not usually like this." I would later find out that was an outright lie, though I was unsure if she'd lied for her own benefit, or because she didn't want to believe it. "So… a military man…," she stated, stalling.

"You need to go sleep. I have to get back before Striker gets worried," I stated my thoughts exactly.

"Striker? Like… Lightning Strike?" Lora smiled. "You're… So, you're a Storm Hawk, then?"

I nodded. "Looks like you've done your homework."

"Your team is always so busy… You're headed toward a mission point currently, aren't you?"

I nodded once more.

"That means you'll be gone for a while…"

Honestly, did it matter to her? "Six months before we return to Atmosia."

Lora sighed. "You have to promise me something. I need to make this up to you or it'll bug me for the rest of my life." I didn't believe it at the time, but knowing Lora more now than I did then… I should've never doubted something she said. "You have to promise that you'll come back and see me."

Hesitant and unsure of her true motive, I nodded. Though I hoped she would forget in six months' time, I would still hold true to my promise. "You… you need sleep," I repeated.

Lora laughed. "Uncomfortable, eh? All right, I'll let you off the hook." Lora yawned. As she stood in the momentary silence, she smiled. Lora stood up on her toes and kissed my cheek. "Thanks, Ace…" And with that said, Lora returned to her house and I was left standing in the dark.

I held my hand to my face, smiling. "Goodnight, Lora…," I spoke quietly.


	2. The Inner Workings

_Ace_

Two months after the incident on Neon, we were already on our way. Though Striker had neglected to tell me exactly where it was we were going I knew it would take a while to get there. From where we were, it took me five hours to get to Terra Neon on my own and another two hours to get to Mesa from there. I hadn't left the Condor since then, but I assumed we were even farther from Neon now than two months ago.

Roughly rummaging through the fridge of the condor, I gripped onto a bottle of pop. "Hey, Joe?! Do we have any carrots left?"

"Maybe your imaginary girlfriend ate the rest, aye?" the blond laughed, elbowing my side as he walked in and out of the kitchen.

I slammed the door of the fridge, following after him. "She's not imaginary! And she's not my girlfriend…" I plucked an apple from the fruit bowl on the table before exiting the kitchen. I'd mentioned my run-in with Lora on Neon _once_ to Lightning Strike and the rest had overheard… They hadn't let me forget about my promise since.

"Ooh, touchy… All right, fine. She's not your girlfriend." He turned around to walk backwards, facing me. "All I'm saying is I've never seen her. For all I know she doesn't exist… or she's some old, ugly hag."

I chucked the apple at him and he ducked, guarding his face with his arms. "So's your mom," I jeered, laughing.

I was one of them. They didn't care about my age, though they did poke fun at my immaturity. I was one of the boys—no, one of the men. A rookie—fresh out of the academy at the bright young age of seventeen, I joined the first squadron I could get my hands on. I never could've guessed that it would turn out to be more trouble than it was worth.

I could talk about anything with them, I could joke about anything, what I said had merit.

"Defensive!" he smiled, picking the apple up from the floor. "So you really like this girl, eh?"

I shrugged. "She's… interesting."

"Where'd ya meet her?"

"You're just full of questions, aren't you?"

"And you're full of shit!"

I punched Joe's arm, distancing myself from my comrade. I clutched the bottle of pop in my hand, making my way around the bridge.

"Just answer the question, Acey… _Acey… _Is that what she calls you?"

"God, you're relentless." I walked past our pilot, Mara, who was lazily sitting at the controls.

Joe hummed. "I've got it! You're embarrassed because you haven't scored yet!"

I took in a deep breath and dropped the bottle, turning around to charge at my teammate. "That's it! Come here, you bastard!"

"All right, you two, break it up…" Lightning Strike, our leader, began to pry me away from Joe.

I straightened out my uniform, muttering profanities and insults below my breath. "One day...," I shook my head. I had never intended that to be the truth, but it was quite ironic. "I want my apple back."

"Sorry, kid. It's mine now," Joe laughed, biting into the fruit.

Striker shook his head. "You know, your big mouth is going to be the death of you," he spoke dryly, seemingly toward the blond. "And you!" he rested a hand on my shoulder. "You better get in line. This kind of thing can get you killed. One more fight and I'm sending you back to the academy for one week of detention."

I grumbled, "You act like I just joined the team…"

"Start acting like you belong here and I won't have to."

Joe resorted to bothering Mara, someone he knew wouldn't fight back, and Striker stuck by my side, keeping a close eye on me.

"This isn't like you…," he spoke quietly.

I looked away, staring at the passing terras. Quickly changing the subject, I put a brighter mood into the air. "How's your boy doing?"

"Ah, Aerrow?" he laughed, sensing the intentional subject change. "You know, he just had a birthday. Turned eight last month."

"We… weren't out here last month."

A solemn look struck his face. "I know." The man ran a hand through his red hair. "He's got quite a bit of interest in the academy… I never thought he'd stay in it this long. Quite the prodigy."

I glanced over my shoulder. "You expect him to join the team then, eh?"

He nodded. "It'll be making up for the years I wasn't there for him."

I turned around, facing him directly. "_Nothing_ can make up for that…"

He looked away. Striker was an honest-to-god great father, but being a slave to society has kept him away from his family. "At least he's making friends…"

I looked around the room, seeing my wasted pop lie on the ground, rocking back and forth. I sighed. "That was the last pop…"

Striker laughed. "Not to worry, mate! We're taking a pit-stop on Mesa."

My eyes stop over to our leader. "Mesa."

"Yeah! Kale ate more than his fair share of food while we were out here… so we need to restock." The man paused for a moment, examining my expression. "Your girl's on Mesa, isn't she?"

"_A_ girl," I corrected him. "Just a girl."

"Hm. Don't worry, I won't pester you."

"Oh, shut up, you know you want to ask," Joe laughed, rushing past us.

With the blaring gaze from Striker, I sighed. "I know, I know. How far are we from Mesa, Mara?"

He yawned. "An hour tops."

"I'll go ready the Skimmers."

ooo

Stepping foot on Terra Mesa, Lightning Strike could already tell I was anxious to leave. "Go on, kid. We'll be here when you get back. Two days tops, all right?"

I nodded, taking off on my Skimmer. Terra Mesa wasn't a very populated place. However, the parts that were inhabitable were decent and calmly populated. My Skimmer hugged the cobblestone pathways, just as eager as I was to find my target. And just as soon, I was confronted by a rather pleasant obstacle in the road.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

I pulled the Skimmer into a tailspin, the smell of burning rubber filling the air. Surprised I hadn't hit the girl, I scrambled off of the bike and prepared to yell at the odd woman.

"Me? What the hell do you think _you're…_ You're… Lora…" I smiled. "Lora."

She giggled. "It's you! What… what are you doing back so soon? I thought you said your squadron would be gone for six months!" She dropped her books, wrapping her arms around me.

"We, uh… ran out of supplies early," I laughed nervously, unsure of how to accept the rather friendly hug.

I eagerly kept that promise to see her again, even if those six months had yet to pass. Lora… looked so different in bright light. Her blue eyes still held true, but the rest… She looked so much better—and happy. Her brown hair wasn't sloppy, it was pulled up neatly. Her face wasn't soaked in tears, and it cleaned up quite nicely. Suddenly, I felt odd… I actually felt like I was around a girl and not an angry monster.

Lora let go, collecting the books she'd dropped. "I, uh… have to return these. Want to come with?"

I glanced over my shoulder toward my Skimmer. "How far is the library?"

Already catching on, Lora made her way over to my Skimmer. Standing it back up, Lora glanced at the bike.

"Here," I offered, taking her books. I pulled the seat back and put the books in the empty compartment, sealing it once more. I climbed onto the bike and patted the empty portion of the seat behind me. Lora gladly accepted the invitation and climbed on.

"Where to, Miss Lora?"

"I don't care about the books. Just get me out of here."

With a smile, I nodded. "Well, then… We have one of two options. We can go to your house… or mine."

Lora laughed. "I'm being serious!"

"So am I…"

"Well then," she laughed. "Your house or mine?"

I turned the keys, revving the engine. "My house it is."

ooo

"Don't worry, the boys are out… except Mara."

"Mara?" she questioned, scanning the interior of the Condor.

"Yeah!" I threw my keys across the table, ushering Lora through the kitchen and into the bridge. "He's our pilot."

"Hey, Ace," Mara chuckled. "So she does exist…"

I glared at the lazy man.

Lora placed a hand on her hip. "Ooh, so you talk about me, eh?"

I folded my arms across my chest. "I said one thing! One!"

She rested a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, you don't have to explain yourself to me. So! Mara… was it? What's life like on the ship, here?"

"Hah. He'd be the one to ask… considering he never leaves."

Mara lazily raised his hand, flipping me off.

I laughed, rubbing my neck. "Just pointing out the obvious…"

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," he sighed.

I rolled my eyes. "You're welcome, Lieutenant Sarcasm," I saluted him, stepping closer to Lora. Hey, at least I outranked him there. "Come on. There isn't much to do on this lousy ship, anyway."

"V2 left with Striker, Ace. Don't expect him to make you lunch."

"V…2?" Lora questioned.

"It's just this gadget Leeum made for us. He's a bit of a butler…"

Mara sat forward in his chair. "V2 is a sophisticated piece of machinery that Ace likes to force menial chores onto."

"We… should really have gone to your house," I sighed.

Mara sat back. "Fine. Just make sure you don't get her pregnant; I can't stand kids."

I cringed. "Yeah… let's go…"

Lora laughed, waving softly toward the lazy pilot. "Bye!"

ooo

"So! What's new, Sky Knight?" she smiled, setting a bowl of ice cream in front of me.

I hummed, ignoring the desert. "Absolutely nothing. You?"

"I'm turning sixteen in a few months… I'll finally get my license!"

"Ah! That's where I've got you beat. I'm turning eighteen in one month!"

Her expression saddened.

"…Was that because I'm turning eighteen…?"

She shook her head. "It's because I probably won't be able to celebrate your birthday with you." She sunk into her chair, twirling her spoon in her ice cream bowl.

"You really hate your friends, don't you?" When she gave me a questioning look, I explained myself. "I mean… I've only known you for what, a month? Maybe two? I've only seen you two days out of that and you act like we've known each other forever."

"Maybe I just have a crush on you," she winked.

I stopped myself from saying anything potentially dangerous by eating a spoonful of ice cream, smiling.

Lora smiled. "I've never been good with holding down friendships. But it never seems to be on my end. I… I always have bad choices when making friends. I pick the worst people."

If only she knew then what would become of me. Hell, if I knew, I would've laughed in her face.

"Where's your family?" I asked quietly.

"They went to the bazaar on Terra Saharr… I wanted to stay home! What luck I have, eh?" With a knock on her front door, Lora shot up from the dining table.

"I'll get it," I offered, standing up as well.

"Sit," she glared at me.

"But—"

"Sit."

I whined, sitting back down.

Lora pulled open the door and her expression quickly changed from excited to furious. That's when I disregarded her orders and stood up, rushing to the door.

"Who is it?" I muttered, standing behind her. A group of girls stood on her front porch, taking the spotlight was a dark-haired girl with a sucker in her mouth. I laughed at the group. "Are these the girls that ditched you on Neon?" I whispered to Lora.

"Ooh, is that the guy you left us for on Neon?" the dominant one purred. "He's pretty…"

"Left you? You left me standing out in the cold waiting for you by the Illusionist!" Lora growled.

The girls backed up. "Lora… We didn't mean anything by it… just a little fun!"

I pushed my way past Lora. "Do you realize the state you left her in? Neon gets below freezing after dark! You're lucky it wasn't humid or she could've frozen to death."

"Let me handle this, Ace…," she spoke softly, resting a hand on my arm before charging toward the girls. "You have no idea the mental process I went through! I had to fend off at least five pedophiles. Three of them probably _still_ can't walk and one of them isn't breathing!"

I took a step back. _Remind me to stay on her good side…_

"You psycho chicks have absolutely no idea what happens on Neon after dark, do you?"

"Lora, we—"

"Don't you _dare_ 'Lora' me. You better be off my terra in five minutes or I won't hesitate to have Lightning Strike _personally_ arrest you!"

One of the blonds scoffed. "Well, he's not Lightning Strike."

_Oblivious, obviously… _I stepped up to where Lora was standing. "You obviously have no idea whose ship that is," I pointed off to the skyline. "And you obviously have no idea who I am. So you four better get your scrawny asses off this terra before I force you off it myself. As a Storm Hawk, I have the right to restrict your access to any terra, even if that means locking you up for thirty days. Now, like the lady said… you now have four minutes and thirty seconds to get out of my sight…," I grabbed my radio, "before I send the Storm Hawks to find you."

"You're just jealous because you're stuck with a bitch like her and not someone pretty, like me!" the dark-haired girl scoffed.

I depressed the receiver on my radio and smiled. "Hey, ah… Striker…"

"Ace!" our leader responded. "How's your girl doing?"

That's when they got the message that I was serious. The girls quickly made their exit, and Lora stole my radio. "I'm fine… Striker," she laughed. "Some girls were bothering me and Ace threatened them. We kinda used you as an excuse, I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, my dear."

"Hey, Acey! She does exist! Sorry about bothering you earlier…," Joe apologized.

Lora looked at me, a brow raised.

I took the radio back, clearing my throat. "Thanks, guys…" I replaced the radio amongst my other gear and smiled. "I wonder if my ice cream is done for…"

Lora barred my entry back into her house. "Let's let it melt for a while, shall we?"


	3. The Monster Within Me

_Ace_

My last day on Mesa… I knew I had to make it last. I wouldn't see Lora for months, maybe even a year. But when it came to sundown, I felt like I'd missed out on the entire day. What did we do? Apparently nothing that helped slow time down…

She stood across from me—her expression told me everything. She knew just exactly what I was about to say, and she didn't want to hear it.

"Lora…"

"I know," she smiled softly. "I was just hoping you'd forget you had to leave… You can't convince Striker to let you stay?" Just as soon as she'd asked, she knew the answer. "…I know…"

"Was that on purpose?" I asked, laughing. "I mean… all of this. Was running into you on purpose? Did you see the Condor in the sky and set out to find me?"

Lora sighed. "I had no idea you were a Storm Hawk… and I was honestly going to the reference hall to return my books…" She hit her face with the palm of her hand, grumbling. "Damn! You still have my books."

I smiled. "Guess you should get those…"

She nodded, not making any attempt to move.

Watching as she stared off toward the other houses, the sun casting a silhouette effect against her skin when I looked back toward her, I began to question her motives. "What exactly are you expecting…?"

She turned to watch me closely. "What do you mean?"

"What are you expecting to come out of this all?"

Lora shook her head. "Nothing… The instant I found out you were a Sky Knight, I knew better than to expect anything."

I hummed quietly.

"But… I can dream, can't I?" She turned to face the sunset, her hand searching for my own. "You know… You're the first person that hasn't looked at me like a heartless… violent bitch," she laughed quietly, glancing at her feet.

"I can see where they would get that idea…," I joked, smiling.

Lora rolled her eyes. "Thank you. Really… I don't think I could say that enough."

"For what? So, I rescued you from Neon. So I chased away a few backstabbing friends! That's nothing compared to what I'm expected of every day on the Condor."

"No… I meant, thank you for making feel like I'm not some psycho."

I gripped her hand tighter. "Thank you for making me feel like I belong."

Lora turned to face me, reaching for my other hand. "I suppose I have to let you go, now…"

"If you want something, just ask," I told her plainly, seeing hesitation in her actions.

She looked up toward me, smiling softly.

"Wait, wait, no. Let me try to read your thoughts," I told her, trying to keep a straight face while staring into her blue eyes.

Lora was better at keeping a straight face, and she knew it wouldn't be long before I cracked a smile. She made a funny face and laughed, watching me break my concentration.

"That's not fair!" I whined, laughing.

She shook her head. "So? Can you read my mind or what?"

I closed my eyes, thinking. What could Lora possibly have wanted…? "I see… you… and me…"

"Mhmm…"

"The field we're standing in…" I stepped closer to her. "And a kiss…"

She raised a brow. "So you _can _read my mind. That's not fair, give me my thoughts back!"

I leaned forward, resting my forehead against hers. "You'll have to take them from me."

Lora reached up, resting her arms on my shoulders. As she stood on her toes, she kissed me. Little did I know that such a harmless kiss would kick off a chain of events none of Atmos would ever be prepared for.

"I… I have to go," I breathed, trying to pull myself away from a potentially dangerous situation.

She nodded, taking a step back. "Don't forget your keys," she smiled, pulling my keys from her pocket.

"Trying to keep me here, are you?"

"Like I said, I can dream, can't I?"

I retrieved my keys, walking over to my bike. "Don't make any plans to move for the next six months, all right?" I made her promise, climbing onto the bike. I jammed the keys into the ignition and fired up the bike.

She nodded solemnly, resting a hand on the Skimmer. "I promise I'll still be here when you get back."

And I left, leaving Lora in the middle of the field, alone.

ooo

I sat at the table alone, my forehead resting against the surface. Curiously, Joe sat beside me. "Hey, buddy."

I sat up, rubbing my forehead. "Hi."

Joe rested his elbow on the table and propped his head up in his hand, staring at me. "I know that look. What happened?"

"I think I broke her heart, to be fucking honest."

Striker passed through the room. "Language…," he chided, checking off a list of things before we left Mesa.

"All right, all right, all right." Joe sat up straight. "First things first—did she say she liked you? … You didn't kiss her, did you?"

I hit my head against the table.

"Damn it, kid! That's the one thing you _avoid_ having a life like yours. You're a military man, you can't get involved with someone!"

"You could've told me that _yesterday_."

Joe sighed. "Look, at least that's all you did. It's a harmless kiss, nothing could really come from it. At least you didn't sleep with her."

Mara stood up from the controls, walking over to the table. He took a seat opposite Joe and I. "Joe, if there's one thing you don't know, it's women. So sit back, shut up, and listen. Women take everything personally. A hug is never just a friendly hug. A kiss is never _just _a kiss."

I looked up, glaring at the pilot. "You're not helping."

"I know," he laughed. "I'm trying to make you feel like shit."

I let my head fall back against the table. "I'm screwed…"

Striker passed the table once more, but stopped. "What's going on, guys?" he asked, seeing the bulk of the team gathered together.

"Ace is in a bit of a fix."

"With that Lora girl, aye?" Striker smiled. "What's wrong, exactly?"

"I'm a Storm Hawk, that's what," I growled. "I'm leaving for six months to a year and Lora's more than emotionally attached to me. I feel _guilty_. I got myself into this mess…"

"She knew you were a Sky Knight, she took that risk," he said plainly.

I nodded.

"So what's the problem, then?" Pausing, Striker examined my posture and expression. "Oh… So _you_ don't want to leave her behind…"

I began to repetitively hit my head against the table.

"Well why don't you just ask her to come with us, then?"

I sat up quickly. "What are you talking about?"

Striker smiled. "Look, we're one man down with Leum out of commission. You know the rules—if anyone is on the Condor, they have to help out with the team. We… kind of need that sixth man, so why not?"

"I…" I shook my head. "I don't know if she's capable of helping us out. I mean…"

"What's the harm in trying? Leum was the brains. He was better with plans than fighting anyway. If she can come up with a good strategy or two, she can help out. Combat skills are just a plus in this case."

I quickly reached for my radio but found it to be missing.

"Yo, Striker!" came a laugh over our comm. system.

Our leader reached for his radio, handing it to me. "I think it's for you."

"Lora?"

"No, I want to talk to Lightning Strike!"

Stunned, I handed the radio back to the red-head.

"That kid Ace of yours can't hear me, can he?" Her voice sounded distressed. "I… I don't want him to worry."

Pausing for a moment, Striker looked at me. "…No? What's wrong, Lora?"

"I'm being tracked by… by some guys, I don't know who they are. I managed to get back to my house but they're trying to break in."

The boys looked at each other, concerned.

"Striker… It takes a lot to scare me… and I'm scared. Please… help me…"

Lightning Strike's expression turned from concerned to serious. He set the radio down on the table and looked at me. "What do you want to do, kid?"

I stood up without a second thought and walked off toward the hangar door, pulling my blade from my back. I charged up the crystal and spoke calmly, "Let's go."

A bit shocked, Striker took a moment to respond. "…All right! Ace and I will take care of this. Joe, Mara, keep an eye on Kale and the ship."

I climbed on my bike, my blade replaced on my back. "Tell Kale to prepare Leum's room for Lora. I'm not leaving her behind. Not now."

ooo

"Don't do anything rash," Striker warned, quickly stepping off his bike.

With my blade in-hand, I would use any force necessary. No holding back… Lora's door had been kicked in, a forced entry without a doubt. A scream erupted from the depths of her residence and I picked up speed, sprinting into her house. "Lora?!" I called, flicking lights on as I searched through the house.

Two men met me in her living room, rushing out from a bedroom. "Storm Hawks? What the hell are you two doing here?"

"You two, and whoever else is in this house better get out _now_ before I change my mind about killing you."

The tallest of the two laughed. "And why should we?"

Another scream from the room behind them, followed by a struggle. Lora quickly came running out of the room past Striker and I. She hung a right and stood behind us. "What are you doing here?! I asked you if he could hear and you said no!"

"…I didn't think it would matter since you were in danger," Lightning Strike laughed.

Another man ran out of the room after Lora, sporting a bloody nose.

"Lora, Striker, go back to the ship. I'll handle them."

"No!" she protested. "I finally got the guy, I'm not leaving now! Let me help you."

Striker laughed confidently. "Let her."

Begrudgingly, I agreed.

"So you want a fight then, eh?" their leader chuckled. "Fine. I get the girl, you two can pick."

"Taking down Lightning Strike ought to get my name out there, don't ya think, mates?" the short one jeered.

"No, I'll take him!"

"Make up your damn minds!" Lora shouted, charging toward the leader.

"I don't assume you mind if they die in your house…" I said, glancing toward the two remaining. It would only take one swing to take out the both of them, so long as they were arguing. With the go-ahead from Striker, I stepped forward and brought my energy blade through the both of them and they fell.

My first kill… I couldn't explain the adrenaline rush it brought on, the air of confidence… the lack of remorse. I saw their blood pool out on the wooden floor beneath them. I wanted more… I wanted to do it again. I lurched toward the leader and Striker held me back.

"Ace," he spoke sternly.

I sucked in a deep breath, but even that didn't help quell the fire in my veins. I wanted him _dead_.

"Let Lora handle him…" Striker ripped my blade from my hands. He saw the instability, he saw everything I wanted to do to the man just by looking into my eyes. Sometimes I wondered if he saw his own destruction coming…

Willing to kill him with my bare hands, Striker knew I had to leave. "Go. NOW!" he demanded, shoving me out of the house. "I will take care of Lora and the mess."

I stumbled out of the house, trying to breathe. I needed to calm down. I knew the consequences of acting out, I knew what I was in for… I knew Striker could handle himself… I knew if I stayed there any longer, I would get myself in more trouble, so I left. I drove back to the ship and waited for Striker to return.

His call for me on the radio didn't sound too promising. "…Do you want your radio back, kid?"

Assuming she'd rejected our invitation, I sighed. "Yeah… Just… just bring it back with you."

"All right… Get the boys to the helm, I need to talk to everyone."

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

His lack of a response was answer enough.

I sat at the table once everyone had been gathered. I had a feeling I knew what I had coming—Striker would send me back to the academy and I would be stuck doing book work for a week in detention. I also had a hunch that detention didn't qualify as punishment for unjustified murder.

I hit my head against the table, my latest resort after doing something stupid.

"Guys…" Striker smiled, entering the room. The boys looked up toward our leader, myself included. My eyes grew wide, catching an unexpected sight. "I'd like to introduce our new recruit. Her name is Lora."

"Guess I'm a Storm Hawk, now, eh?" Lora laughed, eyeing me.

"Lora…," I breathed, stunned.

This turned out to be the most eventful trip to Mesa. Ever.


	4. Power

_Ace_

Nightmares… Nothing but nightmares through the entire night. I was running, trying to escape. All I wanted was to be free. Striker was close behind me, yet it looked nothing like him. He was scrawny, short, young… Joe was behind me as well, with the same story. Short, scrawny, and young…

I couldn't get away fast enough. Why my own team was chasing me never crossed my mind—all I knew was I was losing, and I needed to run.

I was pounced to the ground, pinned back by my shoulders. The blond one held me down, Striker standing over me. I knew where this was going. The young one reached for his blade and held it to my neck. That's when I knew exactly who I was staring at.

The young prodigy himself—Aerrow.

I felt so confused… Aerrow was young, much too young to be the one standing over me. I looked at my hands, gripping a metal glove attached to a metal joint. It kept my arm together, kept it moving correctly.

This wasn't just a nightmare… this was the future.

"You can't escape me," he laughed.

Catching my reflection in the boy's armor, I was shocked by the monster I had become.

I promised myself I would never become that. I looked away. That's when I knew it was a dream. That's when I knew I had to wake up.

My eyes shot open to a dimly lit room, my left arm and leg hanging off of the bed. I partially sat up and wiped the drool from my cheek, glancing around the room. It wasn't too uncommon for me to wake up from dreams like that. Not just nightmares, but visions of the future. Things that I dreamt would happen without explanation. I was given a look into my future, and I didn't like what I saw.

I gasped, startled as my gaze caught Lora. She was sitting in my desk chair, her arms folded across her chest, her legs crossed, and her eyes closed. She wasn't conscious. In discovering that, I tried to stay quiet, tried not to wake her up until her eyes shot open, startled as well.

She wanted to scream, but I fell forward off of the bed and quickly crawled toward her, covering her mouth. "Shh!" I shushed her angrily. "What the _hell_ are you doing in my room in the middle of the night?"

Her brows tugged together. "I… couldn't sleep. I have trouble sleeping in other people's homes!"

"Get used to it, honey. It's your home, now. It has been for three weeks. How many nights have you stayed in that chair…?"

"Only a few…," she sighed. "Can't I just sleep here?"

"Sitting up? How long have you been there, anyway?"

Lora sat forward, stretching out her spine. "'Bout four hours."

I leaned back, sitting on my feet. "Fine… you can stay here. But you can't do this every night, okay?"

She nodded.

"You can sleep in my bed, I don't want you to have to sleep in a chair."

Lora looked up. "On… second thought, I'll just go back to my room." She gave me a cheesy grin, quickly leaving.

I watched her closely, seeing the cause of her anxiety as my eyes hit the door. "Striker," I smiled.

He scratched at his scalp, walking into my room. "What's going on, boy?"

"Lora couldn't sleep… I woke up with her in here."

He nodded. "Is she all right?"

I stood up, sitting back down on my bed. "Not sure… She said she isn't sleeping well."

"Hm." Striker sat down in my desk chair, facing me. "We're passing Cyclonia, maybe she's uneasy?"

The nightmare flashed before my eyes, the Cyclonian emblem embedded in my chest plate. I closed my eyes, forcing those images from my mind.

"Something bothering you?"

I shook my head. "No… nothing, it's fine."

"You should get some rest," he nodded. "Tomorrow will be an early day. We're on watch."

I sighed. "Boring…"

"_Goodnight_, Ace."

ooo

I was the first one set out to do some rounds on Cyclonia—we were just there to make sure no unusual activity had risen up in the last few months. How long we would be there was determined by the amount of activity. Usually it was a month… Unusually, it was six. After Cyclonia, we would head for the mines. All the old talons should be on Cyclonia, and if any evidence of Cyclonia traffic showed up the mines, action would be taken.

However, I was never truly comfortable with being near Cyclonia. Or rather, I was uncomfortable with how quiet it was, how at ease I was, how… comfortable I was. I felt no different there than anywhere else when I should've been scared out of my mind.

"You're going alone?" Lora asked quietly.

I nodded. "Plus, you're not allowed to help with anything Cyclonian related, remember? Anything that will go on record will work against you… Striker is keeping this quiet for your own safety."

"I feel like I deserve some glory, though." She sniffed in, rubbing her neck.

"You're a Storm Hawk… You're with me," I smiled. "Do you really need anything else?" I kissed her cheek, stepping over to my bike. Kale had already prepped my bike the night before, removing any identifying features. I had to have my defenses, but I couldn't be identified. I was dressed in all civilian clothing, something I didn't mind. Wearing my uniform was droll, I loved my own clothing.

Though without the risk of being identified, Lora didn't understand why she wasn't allowed to come. If we were to be caught, I would be instantly identified, but from far away I was just an annoying teenager flying just a little too close to Cyclonia for the thrill.

She gave a worried wave as I flew off the Condor.

This would be my last flight as a trustworthy Storm Hawk.

Nearing Cyclonia, it seemed quiet. I wanted to land, I wanted to explore… I'd never set foot on Cyclonia, and like any other curious, mischievous teenager, I wanted to be the one that could stand up and boast, "I explored Cyclonia and lived."

But my curiosity would get me killed in the long run. My tires hit Cyclonia's surface, and my clock began ticking. My fate had been set—no one would ever see me as the same person again. I stepped off my Skimmer and pulled my cloak's hood over my head. I ducked down as I tip-toed around Cyclonia. Everything had been reserved to the underground. Any remaining Talons were forced into hiding. Master Anarchis lived amongst them in the underground tunnels of Cyclonia. Anyone on the surface was begging to be killed—if you were one of them. I was safe from the Sky Knights, but not from the Talons.

Sky Knights stayed away from harming children, and the children of elder Talons were often found playing on the surface. It wasn't safe… for either of us.

I stuck to the cliffs, transcending upward to the tops of the sharp peaks. I never saw the point of watching Cyclonia—nothing ever came up. But that's where I was wrong. Cyclonia being in hiding for an entire generation of Cyclonis' gave them time to plot. It gave them time to plan out their revenge to the exact letter.

I sat down on an ever familiar cliff, dangling my legs off the edge. I was close to the over-ground housing facility—the bunkers. I sighed, removing the hood from my head. I gazed outward on the dark clouds, scanning each spike. I saw the bloodshed, I saw all the Sky Knights that lost their lives over this Terra. All the fighting, all the death, al the blood… I saw the war we won, the one Striker ended himself. I felt proud to be on his team, but I wanted more.

I wanted more than to be known as just Lightning Strike's co-pilot. I wanted more than to be known as just… just an insubordinate teenager with no respect. I wanted power.

"A'scuse me, mister…"

Startled, I turned around. I caught a pair of large, violet eyes staring straight at me. Standing no more than 120 centimeters tall, this girl was young… She was safe. "What do you want?" I growled.

"You're not supposed to be here…"

"Oh, really? Says who?"

"Says me." This voice, however, wasn't safe. A taller woman appeared before me, holding her hand out. Alongside a blinding light came a sharp, stabbing pain. My eyes closed, I lost my balance, and quickly lost consciousness.

I slowly pulled back to reality, my vision blurry. I tried to examine my surroundings, I tried to escape. However, I found myself to be free, none of my limbs tied down, nothing chained up. For having been taking captive, they weren't very smart.

"So you've finally come, Ace…"

I tried to focus my eyes in the darkness, catching a thin, cloaked figure. She stood before the infamous Storm Engine—the device that threatened to wipe Sky Knights from the face of Atmos in the first war with Cyclonians. I knew it well—I studied its designs from all known information we had on the machine.

However, one thing I didn't know was how to stop it.

"You… were expecting me…?"

Little Cyclonis stood by my side, playing with my hair.

"Piss off," I growled at her.

"Mooootherr~!" she whined.

"Be nice, young one. He is our guest…"

"What is it that you want?" I asked, sitting up.

She hummed quietly, tapping each key with precision. "We want you… You have much to offer us, Ace. We have seen what you can become… You are… skilled, to say the least. I have much to offer you, Ace… Join me and you won't be disappointed."

"Like I told your daughter… Piss. Off." I spat on the little girl next to me, getting to my feet. As quickly as she began to cry, the crying stopped. Claws dug into my skin, climbing upward. Little Cyclonis climbed up my clothing, managing to get far enough to sit on my shoulders. She then persisted in running her little hands through my hair.

Unable to pry her off without becoming bald, I decided to tolerate her. "I don't want any part of what you're doing."

"You have no choice…"

"I can leave _right now_ and you can't stop me."

"Yes…," she said smugly. "But you cannot escape your fate. You will come back… You crave power, young one. You crave the fame… You will have that power, you will have that fame. All you must do is join us…"

I honestly considered it… for about two seconds. "No."

"Come on, Acey!" Little Cyclonis whined, tugging on my hair.

"Ahh! Don't do that, you little brat!" I leaned forward, flipping her off my head. No doubt, the little girl grabbed onto my hair for dear life and hung there. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Let go, damn you!"

"Join. Us."

""Fuck this, get the hell off of me!" I peeled her hands off my hair and dropped her to the ground. I pulled my blade from my back and held it out towards Master Anarchis, charged and ready.

Master Anarchis turned around, holding out a crystal. It sparked, arcs of red electricity surrounded the translucent crystal. I knew exactly what kind of power this crystal had. The Firebolt crystal was one I'd fawned over since I was very young… and I was within ten feet of the crystal. I wanted it…

"Join… us…"

The crystal fell from her fingertips to my own, and my fate changed.

"Congratulations, Dark Ace…," she laughed. "…I want you… to take down your team. The day we attack, you take them down, starting with that hero, Lightning Strike…"

"Loyalty?" I repeated. I still hadn't grasped just what I had done. Stunned by the amount of power I held in my hands, thinking wasn't much of an option. She said take down my team? "Done," I mindlessly spoke. The reality wouldn't hit me until later, and definitely not as hard as you would expect.

"We look forward to hearing your battle strategy, Dark Ace… You will be provided with a troop of Talons for reinforcement. See you in three months…"

ooo

I knew I had to test out the crystal. I couldn't let it sit dormant, not after years of trying to get my hands on one. Three months? Three months… Striker's going to die. Why exactly am I doing this? What exactly am I doing? God, my scalp is on fire.

My mind was going crazy, thoughts were all over the place. One didn't connect with another, and nothing made sense. I sat out in an empty field on an uninhabited terra, watching the clouds surround me. The Condor flew in and out of the clouds, making its own rounds. I knew Mara could see me. He never missed a thing. If anyone knew what I was going to do by the end of the three months, it would be him.

The oddest thing was the lack of shock I held. Master Anarchis wanted me to do _what_? No… that never crossed my mind. All I thought about what how I was going to do it, and the fame and power I would receive in return. I never thought of the fame and power as being bad. I always thought I would be hailed as some sort of hero, only to come and find out it was dark fame… or a fear, rather. A fear, a deep respect… no one would look at me the same. From that day, onward, I was the Dark Ace.

Dark Ace… That name had such a ring to it, I thought. It was very fitting. I was a Talon born into the wrong profession. I never belonged as a Sky Knight—I never got the respect I deserved.

But the second I thought of how Lora would fit into all of this, I hit a road block. Lora was good at heart—she would never condone the actions of Cyclonia. I watched her stand by Striker's side her first day on board, planning every little aspect of these rounds _flawlessly_. I heard her quiet debates about the past events with Cyclonia. I heard the grudge she holds against them for killing her mother.

I dropped the Firebolt crystal into the grass. They killed her mother…

Having taken shelter on-board the Condor for three weeks, now, she fit in very well. She'd grown quite attached to me, and I had as well. Protecting her would've been the most difficult part of the entire ordeal, and explaining it all would be the most painful. I would make her see my side of the story, I told her. I would show her the _good_ side of it all; I would take her with me.

When it was all said and done, I don't think I ever thought about how painful it would be for me…

I fell back into the grass, lying down. I watched the clouds as they passed over me, I watched as the Condor made circles around my tiny terra, I watched as I threw my entire life away. It was crazy how all she needed to do was give me a small taste of the power that she had in store and I crawled on my hands and knees, begging for more. If that was all it took, I wasn't trustworthy to begin with. I was only along for the ride until something better came along…

I patted the ground, grasping onto the crystal as I rose to my feet. I returned to the Condor, thinking of everything I would lose, and everything I could gain. Lora was at the top of the latter…

"Back so soon?" Lora asked, smiling. With a kiss and a hug, I couldn't help but feel like I never wanted to let go. Suddenly, Lora pulled away from me, looking me over.

With the Firebolt crystal stashed in my Skimmer, I didn't have to worry about it now.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Lora knew. She was too smart, too observant to let anything pass her by.

I shook my head. "Cyclonia is a disturbing place," I laughed. "Just being near it… God, it messes with your mind…"

She sighed. "You're lying to me, Ace."

Putting on an act of confusion, I stepped around her. "What are you talking about? All I did was fly around Cyclonia… Being in proximity of that place can really freak a guy out. Why, is something wrong over here?"

V2 flew past, glancing at us. "Ace!" he called, wandering over. "I need your report in five minutes," he instructed. "Boy, is something a matter?"

"What the hell is it with everyone? No! I'm perfectly fine!" I glanced at the robot before glaring at Lora. "I'll be in my room if you need me…" I quickly stormed off, locking my room door behind me. For a lack of anything better to do, I made my bed. Then, I began clearing things off my walls. I had an idea…

Once everything from one wall was clear, I stacked the pictures and paintings on my bed. I grabbed a pen from the cup on my desk and began drawing out plans. I had three months… Three months to plan out the perfect attack, and no one could know. Everything I wrote was coded—written on our own language, but code words held secret information. In case I forgot, I kept a key, a decryption of each word drawn out in pictures, something only I would understand.

Graffiti of my plans covered one wall by midday, and within the next hour, I was clearing another wall to continue drawing. I muttered to myself, thinking aloud. I had to plan out every option, and I had three months to practice and perfect. With half of the second wall painted with my team's demise came a knock on my door.

I reached up and pressed the button to my left. I was calm—certain no one would understand any of what I had written. Lora entered my room, sitting down on my cluttered bed.

"Hey… What the hell are you doing?"

"Redecorating," I laughed. "You could help by… getting me a new permanent marker," I told her, shaking the one in my hand.

"What's going on with you? You've been in here for six hours now. Aren't you hungry?"

I shook my head. "No, not really…"

"Hey…," she breathed, leaning down. She gently helped me to my feet, watching me closely. "Are you all right?" she asked, genuinely concerned. "Ace, I'm worried about you."

I sighed. I had three seconds. One second to come up with an excuse and two seconds to word it correctly. "Lora… Listen. I've been a member of the Storm Hawks for about a year now. One month after I turned seventeen they threw me on this ship and told me to behave. I haven't had one vacation since then. _Not one_. My few trips to Neon barely count… The stress is just getting to me, honest."

Something in her blue eyes held distrust for my answer. I knew Lora was smarter than that. She wanted proof. "What about the redecorating?"

"This?" I laughed. I needed another excuse. "I do this every so often, then Mara comes in and paints over it. I have layers and layers of stuff like this under the paint. It's… a compulsive… habit? Lora, don't look at me like that."

She turned around, walking towards the door. "This is so like you," she laughed, turning to face the door to her left. "Stop lying, Ace. Tell the truth for once."

"I'm in over my head… I… I just took on a major responsibility and all this?" I laughed, nervous. "This is practice. Lora, I can't screw this up."

With a soft smile, Lora nodded. "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? Listen, the boys and I are setting up a little thing for your birthday tomorrow… Do you want to help out?"

"Bull shit they are! I told them if they did anything they'd find themselves flying off the Condor into the Wastelands!" That might've held more truth than anyone bargained for.

"Tough. So, are you going to come out of your room and help, or lock yourself in here for another six hours?"

I smiled. She knew if I had the choice, I'd pick the wrong answer.

She stepped forward, grabbing my hand. "Forget that, you're coming with me. I wouldn't be surprised if you're high on Sharpie fumes… Fresh air will do you some good."


	5. Birthday Boy

_Lost all the files on my computers and my 'muses' changed. Plus, a swarm of bees flooded my house through the fireplace. Lovely. This week is amazing, I love my life._

_Ace_

My birthday was interesting, but I wasn't focused on it in the least. Lora tried to get me to pay attention, she genuinely tried… I had never wanted a party, she knew that, and though we decided to celebrate alone on Neon, it didn't seem worth it by the end. Constantly jumpy, looking over my shoulders—left, then right—flinching when she touched my arm or bumped into me…

"Ace… are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. Really…"

"Let's go on one last ride… then I want to get some candy and watch the sunset. Sound good to you?"

I mindlessly nodded, watching her closely. She was so concerned, so distrusting of what I gave her as truth. I wanted to hold her in my arms and tell her it was all going to be all right, but even that was a lie too great to speak.

I knew there had to be a way to change my attitude. I had to make her believe me, just for the time being. I had to make this all seem believable… Even Striker was getting suspicious. Ah! A cover-up! I'll pull off something incredible and tell them it was why I was acting sketch. A gift? No. An event, maybe?

"You… Don't want to grow up, do you?" Lora asked, leaning against me.

Perfect.

I shook my head. "It's… not on my list of things I'm looking forward to."

"S'not cause of me, is it?"

I half-lied, "Yeah… I mean, I'm eighteen now and you're still fifteen. Not entirely a big deal, but now that I'm eighteen, I'm officially a Storm Hawk. I'm going to have bigger responsibilities now, I'm going to be in more danger… And that puts you at risk. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Well, there's no chance in hell you're kicking me off the team. I'm here to stay. Ace, if I can kick your ass, I can protect myself. That's saying something."

I laughed. "I guess so… I just hate to think what could happen to you. Striker said Leum will be out of commission for another two to three months and a lot can happen in that time… What if Botagon raises a riot? The Raptors can kick up one hell of a fight…"

"The worst I'll see from them is a rotten bag of crunchies. Ace, I'll be fine."

"But—"

"I'll be _fine_." Lora stopped us in our tracks, kissing my cheek. "You know what, let's skip the ride. Let's just go sit and watch the sunset."

"We can't stay here too long. Striker said he's got a present for me."

With the tone in Lora's voice, it was easy to tell she knew exactly what he had for me. "You know, he really sees a lot of potential in you. Told me he sees you like a son…"

I cringed. I wondered if that made me related to Aerrow. "Doesn't mean I should go off and dye my hair red, right?"

She shook her head. "That'd just make you seem weird… Next thing I know, you'll be using a cloaking crystal to change your eye color too."

"Not a bad idea," I hummed.

She slapped my arm, laughing. "Don't even think about it! I could never imagine you with anything other than your red eyes…"

"Kinda sinister, don't you think?" _Fitting_, I pondered.

"You're terrible, Ace… You know, I could see you fitting in with the old Talon squadron."

That's when the knot in my chest tightened up. I couldn't breathe.

"You'd fit right in! I mean, you look just like a Talon…"

Was she inferring she knew what happened on Cyclonia? "One of my biggest peeves about being in the Storm Hawks is that no one thinks I belong. I'm tired of not fitting in," I growled.

Lora looked down. "I'm… sorry… I had no idea…"

"I know I don't fit in. I never have. I was chastised for it in the Academy… I was either too good or not good enough; too tall or too small; never good enough. I'd expected you to be the last person to bring that up."

Lora reached for my hand, holding it in her own. "I… I never meant anything by it… Ace…"

"Happy birthday," I told myself. "Your girlfriend thinks you're evil. Nice!"

Lora threw my hand down, smacking me. "Shut up. Don't you _dare_ start talking like that. I have no idea what you're capable of, but I know you're better than that."

Those words threatened to bring tears to my eyes. I was blatantly lying to both Lora and myself, and she was making me regret everything. I… I couldn't turn back now even if I wanted to. I grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. She could see the pain…

"You're right. You have _no_ idea what I'm capable of… Neither do I. That… that's what scares me the most." I couldn't tell her everything that I wanted to. I couldn't talk to her about this incredibly stupid situation I got myself into. I couldn't even tell Striker, and that killed me.

I was losing myself more and more every day. Violent tendencies rose to the surface gradually, more visible each and every day after killing Lora's attackers. I was preparing myself for the inevitable. I was split into two—half of me knew this was all wrong, but the other half craved the power.

I said no, but the monster within me always won the argument.

If I went into it with a smile, I would be a monster, but not completing the task would get me killed, and there was no way I could escape it. In Lora's eyes I would be a monster, and that would ultimately kill me as well.

Either way I was screwed…

I pulled Lora close, telling myself I would be okay. "Listen… no matter what happens I promise I won't let anything happen to you, even if it means sacrificing myself."

Lora rested her head on my shoulder, her arms around my torso. "You're a big softy for being a military man, you know that?"

"Nothing would ever change the fact that you hold a special place in my heart. Nothing, you hear me?"

"I… would question the sudden nature of this all, but I… honestly could care less right now…" She brushed the tears from her eyes onto my shirt, laughing at herself. "This isn't like me… Or you!" She pushed herself off of me. "What the hell is going on? You must be dying! That has to be it! Oh, dear God!"

I smiled, laughing at the irrationality of the entire situation. "No! No, Lora, I'm fine. Really… You trust me, don't you?"

Lora rested a hand on her hip. "Now I'm not so sure…"

My brows tugged together, afraid.

"Kidding…," she smiled, hugging me once more. "Happy birthday, Ace… I hope it was a good one…"

"The best…"

ooo

Back on the ship, it was just like any other day… until I hit the bridge. Striker set a rather formidable weapon on the table and looked at me seriously. This was nothing like my energy blade that I left the academy—this was actually extremely dangerous. "Welcome to the team, son."

I picked up the blade with caution, seeing the words "One in a Million Chances" engraved on the blade, along with the weapon smith's insignia.

Lightning Strike held out a blue crystal, grinning confidently. "This is a high-grade Striker crystal, combined with both an Enhancer and an Energizer. You can't get any better than this, kid."

_Bet I can top it_. I forced a smile, taking the crystal gratefully. I jarred it into the weapon and exhaled, examining my new weapon. I removed the training blade from my back and handed it to my leader.

"We'll need to work on your fighting form with this blade. It's a lot different than the weapons they give you at the Academy…"

I nodded, turning the blade over in my hand. It was an incredible weapon. The irony of this all was Striker had given me his own murder weapon. I could see he knew the destruction that could come from the blade, but I knew he prayed I had restraint. Striker said this would teach me responsibility; show me just how thin the line between life and death was.

I locked the weapon in place on my back and thanked him—he saw the good in me, and I needed that reminder.

"Happy birthday, son."

My eyes shot up. "I'm not your son."

He sighed. "Figure of speech, boy."

"If anything, you should've been there for your own son's birthday."

"Ace…," Lora called, trying to bring me out of an oncoming fit of rage.

I looked away. "Aerrow would appreciate your company. He may have been meant to take your place, but this wasn't how he was supposed to grow up." In different worlds, the Storm boy and I would have been great friends…

Though Striker didn't appreciate the advice about his family, he knew I was right and wouldn't deny it.

"Thank you again, Striker," I nodded, smiling half-heartedly. "I have a few things to finish before I call an end to this wretched day." I began to walk away, however Striker had other plans.

"Oh, no. Not before cake."

"…. Excuse me?"

ooo

I sat in front of a cake lit up by candles—the other lights shut off of course—a party hat forcibly strapped to my skull. With the most un-amused expression on my face, I listened to them sing Happy Birthday. And as soon as the song was over, I clamped my fingers over each burning wick and stood up. "Are you done yet?"

By now, Lora couldn't stop laughing.

"No! We have to dress up the birthday girl!" Joe laughed.

"Ace…," Striker warned.

Mara flicked the lights back on, wincing with the bright light.

I looked away, tearing the party hat from my head. "Blond bastard… C'mere, I'll show _you _birthday girl…"

Joe laughed his usual annoying laugh, stepping toward me. "Okay, fine. One free shot—it _is_ your birthday after all."

Knowing Striker was in the room, there was nothing I could really do that would get him back for a year of annoyance. In turn, I grasped his goggles and pulled them back, releasing them like a slingshot onto his face. "You still owe me."

His hands retracted to his face and he stumbled backwards.

"It's ice cream cake. Do you want any?" Lora asked sweetly, cutting another slice in anticipation. However, like a rocket, Joe shot over and stole what was supposed to be _my_ cake.

Knowing the look on my face, Joe had the perfect response. "Oh come on, you didn't want any to begin with."

Sarcasm dripping heavily on my words, I spoke with distaste, "I'm sorry, but my girlfriend was going to give me that slice. It's no big deal, I guess, you can have it."

"No, no, I insist." Joe held out the slice on a plate, nudging it towards me.

I shook my head, looking around the room. "Yo, Striker, can I go now?"

"Not. Before. Cake," Joe repeated our leader's words, stepping around the table. He held the cake out for me one last time, and when I rejected it, he spoke with a grin, "I insist…" Those being his potential last words, Joe shoved the cake into my face and laughed.

"Oh, dear God," Lightning Strike groaned. "I… Joe, this is your problem, now…"

I grasped the sliding plate and chucked it to the ground, hearing the glass shatter behind me. With my forearm, I wiped the cake from my eyes and stepped toward the blond. With my weapon still attached to my back, he and I both knew he'd barked up the _wrong_ tree.

An almost forced laugh shot out from Lora's lungs. From forced to involuntary, Lora could no longer control her laughter. "Haha! Oh, my God… Joe, you're going to die…"

"Mara, I suggest you get the medical kit," V2 whined.

With a lazy salute, Mara wandered off. He never did come back with that medical kit.

Kale scratched at his scalp. "If no one is going to have any cake, I will."

Lora rushed out from behind the cake table as I charged toward Joe, continuing to laugh at the situation. "Ace… Ace… you have, uh… a little something… right there…!"

My eyes shot toward Lora. An otherwise murderous situation had turned into a mere joke. Lora knew exactly what she was doing. "Oh, this is funny, eh?" I stepped up to the girl, staring her down.

"Lora, don't provoke him. I don't want you to get hurt," Striker warned.

Lora proceeded in laughing. Unable to vocalize a response, she merely nodded.

A malevolent smile curled on my face as I watched her. I must've looked ridiculous, but if I was going to have cake, then so was _everyone_ else. I leaned down and pressed my cheek against the side of Lora's face, transferring at least half of the cake onto her. Her laughing immediately quieted down.

"Ew!" she whined, lurching away. "Not fair! That's not even fair!"

I laughed, rushing back to the cake table. I grasped a handful and faced Striker, an evil look in my eye.

"Oh, no. No, don't even think about it Storm Boy!" My leader backed up, his hands up defensively. And the instant the cake left my hand, Striker evaded the dessert and it managed to smack Joe dead-on.

"Hell no!" Joe protested, gunning for the table.

Lora laughed, pegging him with another handful.

The blond stood there, defenseless and defeated. "Not fair."

"Don't steal my line," she laughed.

Something cold and sticky was smashed into the back of my head, and I instantly thought it was Lora. Upon turning around, however, I spied Striker licking his fingers clean.

"What?" he replied innocently, grinning like an idiot.

With a handful of the cake ready to return fire, my arm shot up and out. I smeared the ice cream all over his face, retaliating against Lora with my other hand.

Lora managed to stick her tongue out, licking the palm of my hand. "Nyyeahhh!"

"Oh, now that's gross."

She smiled, clearing the cake from her eyes.

Another piece of cake went flying across the room, V2 barely evading it. "Hey!" the machine shouted, ducking another incoming piece.

Striker laughed. "This has got to be the best party I've been to…"

"S'not over yet," I laughed. "There's still half a cake left."

As we proceeded to fling cake across the room, Kale stood splattered with chocolate fudge and ice cream, holding a cake knife in his left hand. With the most pitiful expression on the Wallop's face, I stood looking at my comrade, sending him a half-hearted smile.

"…What about cake?" he asked, examining the sad dessert.

Of course, that meant letting my guard down, and Lora nailed my ear with cake.

I sighed, darting after her, cake in-hand.

Mara walked sluggishly into the room, his eyes wide with amazement. "What the _hell _happened in here?" He soon ducked, avoiding a rather large slice.

"Happy birthday!" Lora called out, laughing as I ran after her.

Joe caught me at top-speed, a hand pressed against my chest. "Happy birthday, kid," he smiled.

I examined his composure for a moment and found it to be sincere. With a smile, I nodded, thanking him.

"Guys! Guys… come on, we should really get this place cleaned up and leave the last slice for Kale, all right?" Striker advised, stopping in his tracks.

Lora nodded, calmly walking over to me. I looked at her face, noting her usually lightly-painted skin was smothered with unflattering cake.

I looked down, watching her as I brushed the cake from her skin. She smiled, standing on her toes to do the same. "You know, I'd get rid of it all, but I doubt washing the cake off will fix how you look…"

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Well, fine. Live with the cake on your face!"

"_I'm_ going to shower." She walked off.

Following closely after her, I spoke slyly. "No, not fair, there's only one on the whole ship."

"Join me?" she offered with a quiet laugh.

Striker gave me a disapproving look, scooping cake off the floor.

I sighed, following her with different intentions. As she went to get a towel, I entered the bathroom and examined my appearance in the mirror. I was _covered_ in cake. I turned around, glancing over my shoulder to see just how bad my other half was hit. To my surprise, there was a fairly small cake-smothered handprint on my ass.

"Lora?" I shouted down the hall, calling after the perpetrator.

Laughter burst out only a few rooms away, and by none other than Lora.


	6. Together

_I hate to say it, but this story is almost over. I knew it had to be short, but I wanted it to have more. I know what needs to happen and that will call the end of it. I see two, maybe three chapters left. If I'm lucky, I will pound them all out tonight._

_Beware, the sequel cannot happen until A New Adventure is over. That is all. x3_

_Together_

_Ace_

Though my birthday was fun, I had to face facts. I was quickly losing time and that time I needed to spend planning. Two months gone, only one month left.

Drawing coded words along the metal on my walls, I traced my fingers over the freshly dried ink. Lora took a seat on my desk chair and sighed, resting her hand on my shoulder. "Ace… we need to talk. Ace… Honey, please…" She scooted from the chair to the floor, crawling into my lap before long. "Acey, we gotta talk…"

I threw the pen across the room, holding back a few profanities. "Get off."

"Ace—"

"Just for a second…" As Lora crawled off my lap, I turned around, leaning my back against the wall. I patted my leg and reached out, looking around my room. Lora climbed back into my lap, resting her head on my shoulder.

"I'm worried about you…"

I laughed, scanning my walls. "What's there to worry about?"

"Any time you don't have your nose planted into a mission, you're in here, or you're out on Terra Saharr working your ass off… I rarely get to spend any time with you anymore…"

Lying to Lora was never a smart idea if you wanted to live. "Then why don't we do something, eh? Look… I really don't have anything important to do today… Why don't we take today off and go have some fun?"

Lora laughed quietly. "You promise we'll do something fun? Nothing work-related, you hear me?"

I nodded. "You know, I could think of a few things we could do… but you've already beat that idea down."

She leaned over, scooting off of my lap. She kicked her legs out, resting them in my lap. She smiled as she watched her toes. "Just like a guy to bring that up…"

"So, then…," I yawned, resting my hands on her legs. "Where are we going, then?"

"Well… We could go to the Skyside Shanty and have some lunch… or we could just fly…"

With a knock on the door, Striker peered inside. "…Ace… Small problem. There's a report of… talons… down on Botagon…"

Lora began to hit the side of her head against my wall.

"Hey," I breathed, placing my hand between her head and the wall. "C'mon, don't… It isn't extremely important, is it?"

Striker ruffled his hair, shrugging. "I wouldn't take the call seriously, considering it's a complaint of talons… but it is a little odd. We've had a major spike of Cyclonian activity lately. I think someone should check it out."

"By someone, you mean me, right?"

Lora then proceeded to hit her head against the wall, disregarding my hand entirely.

Striker pointed toward Lora, posing a confused expression. "Is she okay?"

I gripped her hair and pulled her head away from the wall, ignoring her cries. "Yeah, she's fine…"

"Gah! Don't do that, you asshole!" She ripped my hand from her hair, scrambling to her feet.

"Language, miss," Striker chided.

She threw her hand up as if to dismiss him. "Fuck off!" Lora, then, stomped out of the room.

"…That was my fault, wasn't it?"

I stood up with a grunt, glaring at my leader. "Ya think?" I pushed him aside, rushing after Lora. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Leaving. If I can't spend time with your busy ass, then I'm going to at least have fun on my own."

"Lora, I'm not helping him today. Striker knows I had things to do on my own."

She shook her head, pulling her hair up. "I know how this is going to turn out. We finally get off the ship and do our own thing… but it always turns into business! We went to Neon but all you could think about was everything you did wrong on the last mission, or how you wanted to get back to your _damn_ graffiti!"

"At least let me prove you wrong…"

"No, Ace. I'm going to Tropica to relax. A word you probably don't understand…" She jammed the keys into the ignition and sighed. "If you decide to paint over your walls, come find me…" The second she was off the ship, I flew after her. I wasn't just going to leave her in that kind of mood…

It was never a good idea to let Lora out of your sight if she was homicidal… She would most definitely act out on those feelings.

"Get back on the ship or I'll shoot you down."

"Do it!" she dared. "A fight like that with you would be the most action I've seen in a month!" she laughed. Lora took a sharp turn and dove toward the terra below.

With a smile, I followed after her. I knew what she was doing… Lora was trying to have a little fun amidst the fight. It didn't take but a moment to catch up to her, but Lora made it difficult to follow closely. Weaving in and out of the trees of Tranqua, it would take a skilled pilot not to crash head-on into an obstacle.

I opted for the easy route, shooting upwards above the trees. I followed the disturbances, darting after the scared birds, seeing no pattern in her movements. I sped up, flying ahead of Lora. I spun around and waited, resting my arms over the instrument panel. I rested my chin on my arms and watched, waiting for Lora to surface.

After a while of waiting with no sign of Lora above or below the treetops, my radio rang out. "Come and get me, Sky Knight…"

With a smile, I responded, "Oh, but you'll have to give me a hint… The birds aren't flying in my favor anymore…"

"Look for sand…"

I began to scan through the trees, stretching around to look behind me. "Sand…?"

"Race you to Tropica," she laughed.

"Oh, you're on."

ooo

Even though I won the race—surprisingly—Lora chased me past the shoreline, tackling me down into the shallow ocean water. I sat up, shaking out my hair as I wiped my face. "Not cool!"

"Not fair! I was closer!" she laughed, wringing out her ponytail.

"Then why did I win?" I smiled.

"Because you're a jerk! A cheating jerk!" She pressed her hands to my chest, pushing me under the water. I managed to grab the neck of her shirt, pulling her under with me. I rolled over and pushed myself out of the water, hanging my head low as I gasped for air. "Damn…" I picked up one of my hands from the sand, brushing it off on my shorts before wiping my face off again.

Lora sat up, complaining loudly.

"Shh," I silenced her, sitting back on my feet. When that didn't keep her quiet, I covered her mouth with my hand. "You're acting like you're five."

She pulled my hand away. "You're one to talk."

I kicked my feet out from under me,propping my hands up behind me in the sand. The small waves threatened to suck us under, but they lacked the power to take us anywhere.

"Damn… I really liked these pants…," Lora sighed, picking at a fresh hole.

I reached for her hand. "You're bleeding…"

"Yeah… must've hit a shell. Damn it…"

I laughed. "If you're really that worried about the pants, turn them into shorts."

Lora looked up wiping the saltwater from her eyes. "Huh?"

"Yeah! Go buy some scissors and cut up your jeans!"

"Nahh…"

I shook my head. "Well, you could just take them off, but—Hey!" I ducked as Lora reached out, smacking the back of my head. "I'm just saying! Come on, Lora. We both know you'd look hot in shorts."

She threw her hands back into the water. "Well, from the looks of where this hole is, they'd be pretty short shorts…" When I laughed mischievously, Lora scoffed. "Oh, shut up."

I searched my shirt for damage, finding a tear in the front. "You know, I liked this shirt," I mocked playfully. "Guess it's gotta go…" I pulled it off, throwing it onto the shore.

"Not funny, Ace," she laughed.

"So, how long are we stuck here?"

Lora stood up, trying to squeeze out any water she could from her jeans. "Well, I'll probably rip up my jeans… but once our clothes are dry, we can go…"

"Or we could just take the day off." I stood up, following after her.

"What about Striker?"

"Ehh… Striker's a big boy, he can handle the measly talons." I threw my arm over her shoulders, scanning our surroundings. "It's just us today."

"You promise?"

I pulled my Skimmer's keys from my pocket, dropping them down her shirt. "See, now I can't go anywhere."

Lora glanced down her shirt before pulling out my keys. "Warn me next time will you? God, these things are cold…" She put my keys in her pocket, readjusting her wet tank-top. "I better be damn glad I decided to wear red and not white today…"

"You're glad…," I laughed. "What about me?"

Lora scoffed, pushing me to the side. "You pervert!"

I shrugged, glancing down the beach. "I'm a guy, can you blame me?"

ooo

When sunset hit the skies, thoughts of a bonfire loomed. With no matches, I knew I needed some sort of crystal. After tearing apart my Skimmer, I managed to find a crystal lighter. Leum had given it to me, demanding I keep it as far away as possible from him. While in recovery (or at any time for that matter) smoking was not an ideal habit. I never took the lighter out of my Skimmer, and that saved Lora and I a lot of trouble.

"Found the firepit crystals," Lora smiled, pointing out the sandpit she'd dug up.

I tossed her the lighter. "That should help you get them started."

Once the fire was going, Lora pulled a blanket from her Skimmer so we could keep warm now that the sun was gone and while we waited for the fire to grow.

"They're not going to be mad if we're back late, are they?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I can't have a curfew. Of course, there's a difference between when we are asked to come back, and when we need to be back."

"Then when do we need to be back?"

I shrugged. "When Striker calls? When we get tired?" I laughed. "Let's not worry about it."

Lora looked to her left, rubbing her shoulder. "I think I got fried…"

"Eh… you needed a tan anyway."

She leaned over, shoving me off to the side.

"What? You looked like you had locked yourself up in your room for ten years!"

Lora laughed, "Technically?"

"All right, all right, let's not go there. You're out of that house now."

She nodded.

"Plus, I don't think the team would have it any different. Everyone talks so highly of you."

"That's cause they're scared…"

"Damn right," she smiled.

"Striker thinks you're better off as a Sky Knight…"

She sighed. "I'm too old to join the academy."

"But!" I interjected. "But… if you proved your worth, you could be Knighted."

"I'm not Sky Knight material… I… I just don't work well with others. I don't work well under pressure."

I wanted to tell her if she's not Sky Knight material, then neither am I, but that argument was defeated the instant it entered my mind."Bull _shit_ you don't! You remember our little trip to Saharr? We had five minutes to come up with an attack plan against the Raptors. It took you two seconds. Lora, your eye for detail is incredible… Don't tell me you don't work well under pressure."

Lora looked toward the ocean. "…So I'm better than I give myself credit for… but I'm not Sky Knight material…"

"If Striker told you that you were, would you believe him?"

"You think hearing it from him would be any different? Plus… he probably would hold everything I've said against me."

I nodded. "You were kind of a bitch earlier."

"Kind of?" she protested.

_Oh, shit_, I cried silently, trying to distance myself from Lora. I'd just set off a bomb.

"All I wanted to do was spend time with you today. That's all! And as if on cue, he comes in and wrecks our plans. I had the right to be mad at him!"

"Don't you think you took it just a little too far?" I took another mental step back, digging my grave another foot.

"Too far?"

I tried to tune it out as Lora began to shout, though I didn't have much luck.

"Lora! Lora… Look, I'm sorry. Striker did ruin our plans initially, but we did get to spend the day together, right? Right?"

"Right…," She looked down.

"So? So you yelled at Striker. He's mature, he can handle it. However, I can't handle the yelling," I whined. "It hurts…," I rubbed my arm.

"Oh shut up, Ace. That's not even cute."

I looked at her with big eyes.

"…Okay, maybe a little…"

"A little?"

"Okay, a lot," she laughed.

I smiled, tossing a stick of driftwood into the fire pit. "So, how about we go to Terra Ray next time?"

"Maybe… I guess it depends on when we get a break. I overheard Striker mention we're in for a rough next couple of months. But he said we're clear after the six month marker and we can all go home… They're bringing Leum back in a week!" She smiled, though I could see the pain in her eyes.

"Lora… No one said you had to go home after Leum comes back…"

She nodded. "I know… but it doesn't seem right staying. I know I'll miss you like crazy… but I'm not part of the team…"

I cringed, knowing the team wouldn't live long enough to see the six month marker. "Like I told you from the start… I'm going to come back and see you. That promise won't change."

Lora sighed. "Could be six months…"

"Could be a year…"

She took in a deep breath and forced a smile. "I can do it."

" 'Course you can… You're Lora, you're strong."

"Strong enough to kick _your_ ass," she laughed, leaning against me.

"Don't remind me," I grumbled, an old bruise aching at the thought.

After a moment of silence, Lora spoke up quietly. "My, uh… my birthday is coming up…"

"Oh?"

"Yeah… I'm not looking forward to it." She rested her head on my shoulder. "I know the whole point of turning sixteen was so I could get my pilot's license and all… But…"

"But what? You've lived to see another year. What's there to complain about?"

"Premonition of a bad birthday…"

I cringed again. "You're too smart for your own good, you know that?"

"I… think I may have missed something."

I shook my head. "Lora… I didn't get you anything for your birthday."

Lora scoffed. "That's a bad thing? No, Ace, you're not buying me _anything, _you hear me?"

"But, see… if I get you something, you'll be mad. If I don't, you'll be mad. Catch-22, you get it?"

"Ace… I'm asking you _not_ to get me anything for my birthday, okay?"

I nodded. "But if you hold it against me, I swear I'm buying you something for all of your future birthdays no matter what you say."

"Deal," she said with a laugh.

ooo

Over the course of the next few days, I tried my best to spend my free time with Lora. It took a bit of convincing to stop working myself so hard, and quite a bit of worry over the preparation of the attack, but I managed to spend almost all of my free time with her.

The one time I did set some extra time aside, though, I went to Neon on my own. I had Striker cover for me, telling Lora I was off on a scouting mission. While I was able to escape, I tried to convince myself that Lora's birthday would not be a gift-giving holiday. However, something deep down told me I was in for a beating if I listened to her.

So I followed my gut and walked into the crystal-cutting shop. I was instantly greeted by a man overly-eager to make a sale.

To cut the bullshit to a minimum from the start, I was quickly the first one to speak. "Listen, my girl likes dragonflies. You got anything like that?"((**For those of you that followed the original stories, you might recall the infamous dragonfly…**))

The man held up a finger and began to speak—grinning from ear-to-ear—but soon cut himself short. "I… am not sure… Follow me."

I stepped after the man, glancing around the quaint shop. A young woman was being helped at the other end of the store, only two men on staff at present, the older of the two helping me out.

He began to flip through a large book lined with expensive-looking pages. I quickly took a step back from the display case to my right, afraid to touch anything. As expensive as everything looked, it also looked fragile. I thought, _I probably shouldn't even breathe on any of this. God only knows how much debt I'll put the Storm Hawks in if this shop collapses._

"Ahh…. Anything like that, Sir, will have to be custom set."

I looked at him—a look that says, "Do I look like I know what I'm doing?"

"…All right, listen. I have… I have one thing in the back you might like."

"Anything that will get me out of this damned shop the fastest…"

He nodded, rushing off to the back of the shop. Upon his return, I quickly became relieved. He handed me a small, silver piece and frowned. "A young woman brought it in last week. It needs a bit of repair, but if it interests you…"

I glanced at the odd piece of jewelry, rubbing my thumb over the remaining stones. "You have the other stones with you?"

He nodded. "Wouldn't take but a moment to put them in place."

I cautiously leaned against the display, examining the dragonfly clip carefully.

"_Ooh… Ace! Look! It's a dragonfly!" _Lora's voice rang through my mind.

"_Yeah? What's so special about it?"_

"_It's beautiful…" She reached out and I watched as the fearful bug landed precariously on the back of her hand. "I love these little guys."_

"_Kinda creepy if you ask me…"_

_As an air of anger surrounded her, the dragonfly quickly took its leave. "Normally, yes… bugs aren't usually on my list of favorite pests… but dragonflies… I don't know, there's just something about them…"_

"So," the clerk began, shaking me from my memories, "what's a Storm Hawk doing buying jewelry?"

I sighed.

Seeing the look on my face, he laughed, posing a smirk. "How long have you been together?"

"Technically?" I laughed, handing him the bug clip. "About… five months…"

He hummed, setting the missing stones on the glass. He pulled his glasses before his eyes and began to replace the stones in their rightful place. "Not very long… but I suppose if you love her…"

"Love?" I questioned. "Love…"


	7. Velocity

_The plan has changed a little. I realize there's one event that I didn't include in the last summary of how many chapters are left. In short… it adds up to… 1, 2… 3-4 left, not including this one. However, event #1 may be combined with this one, making that 2-3 left. I'm giving myself an extra chapter because the finale might take more than one. Anyway, enjoy._

_Ace_

"You got her something, eh?"

I nodded, turning the box on its side. "It feels a little corny, giving my girlfriend jewelry."

Striker laughed. "Every man goes through this at least twice in his life…"

"Twice?" I cringed.

"Well, there's always this 'out-of-nowhere' gift, then the ring…"

"Oi, I'm not marrying her now…," I stated, shoving him to the side.

With a smile, Striker responded. "I've seen the way you look at her, boy. Give it a few years…"

I looked at the box, pressing my lips together. "When will she be back?"

"Soon… She made us promise we wouldn't do anything… So today's just a normal day for her."

"Where'd she go?"

He shrugged. "She said something about searching for a side-job so she has something to fall back on once Leum comes back."

I looked at my leader. "You're not going to keep her here?"

"Can't force her, can I?"

"Absolutely!"

He laughed. "I know you love her, son, but it's entirely her decision. It's really not my place."

"There's that word again," I sighed.

"Too soon?" Striker asked, watching me.

"I… I don't know, maybe…"

He rested a hand on my shoulder. "If there's any doubt…"

I shook my head. "No, that's not it."

With a curious grin, Striker stepped forward. "Commitment issues, then? That must come from your father."

"Don't you dare bring my father into this."

He shook his head, looking at his shoes. "My point entirely," he muttered quietly.

"Hey… Damn, what's with the tension?"

I quickly shoved the box into my pocket.

Striker smiled, giving a half-hearted wave as he left the room.

I turned toward Lora, forcing a smile. "Happy birthday," I spoke softly.

She smiled. "Glad you got that over with… Now… I have a few errands to run—"

"Lora…"

"—before the sun sets, so you can either come with me, or stay—"

"Lora," I interjected again.

"—on the ship. Either way, I'm—"

"Lora!"

"What?"

"Why do you hate your birthday so much?"

She sighed. "Why didn't you want us to do anything for yours?"

"I hate celebrating."

She hummed. "Okay, I suppose we have different answers, then. Um… My dad… refused to ever let me have a birthday party, or acknowledge that I was there…"

I rolled my eyes. "Sure noticed you when I was there."

"Ace, that's another story entirely."

"So wouldn't you rather celebrate to bother him?" I asked, smiling.

"No, it's useless. I'm sixteen, okay? There's nothing else to it. Can we get on with today?"

I took a step back, pulling the box from my pocket. "Guess… you won't want this then…"

Lora stopped in her tracks, the room falling into a dead silence. "Ace…"

"No, it's fine. I'll take it back tomorrow."

"I told you not to get me anything…"

I shook my head, looking at the box. "Goddamn it…"

Lora looked at me, tears in her eyes. "…Wh-what… is it?"

"You said you didn't want it." I rolled my eyes.

"N-now hold on…" Lora wrapped her hand around my arm, gently prying the box from my hand. "I didn't think you would actually go to the trouble and get me something…"

"Yeah, and I thought you would be mad. This mushy stuff is gross…" I rubbed my neck, watching her closely.

She pulled the hair clip out of the box, examining the bug. "Dragonfly… You… were listening…?"

"Well, yeah. I'm not entirely an asshole."

She shook her head. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Ace…"

"Neither do you, hypocrite."

She laughed, clipping her bangs to the side with the dragonfly. "You didn't spend a fortune on this, did you?"

I smiled. "Nope. Striker did."

"So _he _bought it…"

"…Technically…"

"You better pay him back, Storm Boy…"

I laughed nervously, glancing around the room. "Can we move on?"

She rubbed her nose. "Absolutely. I have to run a few errands. Do you want to come with, or stay here?"

I shrugged. "I should probably stay here."

She nodded, standing on her toes to kiss me. "I'll be back later."

ooo

"WAKE UP!"

I groaned, rolling over. "No…"

"Please?"

"Ace, I think the lady means well…," V2 chimed in.

"Do not! Ace! Get your ass out of bed!"

"…I refuse to wake up… It's a slow day, please let me sleep…"

Lora leaned in, kissing my cheek. "Get up or that's the last kiss you'll see until you turn twenty-five."

I rolled over again, not realizing how close to the edge of the bed I was. Lora quickly stepped back as I fell toward the floor, groaning loudly. "Goddamn it all…"

"Yay! Now you're out of bed, you have no excuse!"

I sat up, rubbing my shoulder. "Yes I do, I'm in pain. I need to sleep this off."

"Get over it, you wimp!" Lora leaned over, trying to drag me to my feet.

V2 laughed, scanning the room. "Lora, it's seven, now."

She gasped, pulling me up to my feet with all her strength. "Come on, get your ass up. Let's go!" She began dragging me out of the room, V2 not far behind.

"What the hell is so important?"

V2 answered, "Today's the first day of the Carnival!"

"You're going to make me hang out with a bung of Carnies aren't you?"

Lora nodded. "Yep!"

"Great…"

Every year on Terra Saharr, they held a carnival alongside the race for the velocity crystal. Sky Knights from all over Atmos gathered to compete for the Velocity crystal. Not too far away was the Carnival where citizens entertained themselves. Several attractions that you couldn't find on Neon planted themselves on Saharr. While you waited for the race to begin, you would hang out at the Carnival, and the Carnival stood its ground for a entire week, even after the Race was long over with.

And no doubt, if a Storm Hawk showed up… I would be asked to race.

And race, I did.

ooo

Day two of the Carnival called for the preparations of the race. But Lora had preparation plans of her own. "If you're going to race, you'll need to look the part!"

"…I look like Striker."

"No, no, his headgear is much different."

I pulled the metal contraption from my forehead and sighed. "I'm not wearing this."

"Fine… but I think you look hot…"

"…That's not going to work, Lora…" I chucked the piece aside, watching as Lora ran after it. "Fine… I'm not letting this go to waste. When race-time comes, you're wearing it. But for now…" She hung the metal headgear over her own skull, smiling proudly. "My handiwork, my headgear. Ha!"

I laughed. "You look beautiful, darling, but it looks much better on me."

"Then you wear it!"

"…No."

She narrowed her gaze, pouting.

"Listen, I have to check on my bike, okay? I have an hour until the race… Why don't you go off and enjoy yourself?"

"There's nothing fun at the Carnival…"

"Said the bitch that dragged me down here," I grumbled.

"Shut up, Ace. The point was to get you to race; I never intended to drag you to the Carnival for any other reason."

I growled. "Drag me to race… I should've seen that coming…"

She shook her head. "I'll go shopping then. I'll be back before race-time…"

I nodded, stepping off toward my bike to find an admirer examining my bike. "Oi, buddy, get off my bike," I urged, trying to shoo her away. "Rules say no one's allowed back here before the race."

"Rules, eh?" she laughed, turning to face me. "Since when are you one to follow rules?"

"Excuse me?"

"Here, take this," she demanded, shoving a crystal in my direction. "You're not allowed to lose this race, understand?"

I examined the odd crystal, then looked at the girl. "I thought I had two more weeks."

"Oh, you do," she grinned. "But you're going to win this race…"

"By cheating…"

"So you've lost your loyalty?" she questioned. Moments later, her hand shot out for my neck. The short girl growled, her odd tattoos beginning to glow. "Welcome to the future, Dark Ace. You can't escape this… Deny it all you want. Hell, throw the race away… but nothing will stop fate." She ripped her claws from my skin. "God, you've always been this way…"

Utterly confused, I watched the red-head pace, circling my bike. "I'll fix up your bike, but you'll use that crystal at your discretion, understand? Timing is essential."

"What is it with you Cyclonians and your persistent talk of destiny?" I asked, squatting down to watch her as she worked.

"Don't ask me, I was given a script," she muttered, gripping a wrench between her teeth. "Plus, you're a stubborn jackass and you always will be… Someone has to drill it through your skull, even if your girlfriend can't."

"Girlfriend? Have you been watching me? Are there others here?"

"…Something like that…" She began to rip the metal plating from my Skimmer, fixing anything she deemed unfit.

I examined her off clothing, noting one tattoo that didn't seem to belong. Out of the markings that crawled her skin so unnaturally, this one seemed the most out of place. It was the mark of a bounty hunter—a kind of person you didn't run into so casually.

This girl seemed so comfortable around me. The girl was out of place—this wasn't her time and she definitely didn't belong outside in broad daylight. A number of labels and excuses could've been used to explain why she seemed out of place, but none came close to reality.

Not too long after the girl finished fixing up my bike did she sit back and stare, watching my every movement, inspecting every detail.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Cyclonis sent me… Against my will, might I add…," she growled, looking away. "The damn girl thought if you were involved I might give a damn."

I sighed, taking a drink from a cup of water the regulation staff had brought me. Trying to be a nice person, alongside the curiosity that had risen, I tried to make small talk. "What's your name…?"

"…Fury," she stated. "At least… that's what I'll tell you," she laughed.

"Fury… Odd name…"

"Comes from this," she began, pointing to her necklace. "A Fury crystal… They were discovered not too many years from now…"

"In which direction?" I asked, laughing.

"The future…," she spoke seriously. "About eleven years… Someone discovered a crystal deposit in the wastelands and sent prisoners out there to mine." She shook her head. "You'll see, don't make me explain it."

"…I'm in over my head, aren't I?"

"You're asking me?" she laughed. "If you think you have it bad… Imagine being forced to absorb some of the Timepulse… That's how I got here."

"You were sent eleven years in the past because you touched the Timepulse crystal?"

She shook her head, stealing a fuel crystal from my Skimmer. "I'm here because I absorbed some of its power…" She demonstrated this fact by making the fuel crystal disappear into thin air.

Stunning, but apparently not impossible.

I looked at the wrench in her other hand, wondering if I hit my head hard enough, if I would wake up from this nightmare. _Timetravel… and crystal absorption?_ I shook my head. "Get out of here," I demanded.

"Or what?"

"Or I will kill you with that wrench."

Fury laughed in disbelief. "You think you could get to me faster than I could get a hand around your neck?"

"I will do everything in my power to bash your skull in, no matter what your mutant… _powers_… could do to me." I stood up, taking a threatening step toward her.

She blinked. "Damn, Ace, you're not kidding…"

"Do I ever kid?"

She looked to the side. "No… Even if you don't have the power to back it up… you don't lie…" She stood up, walking toward me. "Well, comrade…," she sighed, watching me closely. "I have to say you look a lot different without that metal contraption… Different, but not better…"

I narrowed my gaze, examining her odd eye-color.

"I'd love to stay and continue this little chat, but you're a total asshole," she laughed, pulling her goggles over her eyes.

"…What's your real name?" I asked.

Not without hesitation, the girl responded. "Kai…" After a moment, her smile returned. She held up two fingers as her grin widened. "See you later, Sky Knight…" And like the fuel crystal, she faded into nothing more than crystal dust, carried off by the wind toward the race track.

I looked at the crystal in my hand and sighed. "Guess I gotta win the race…"

ooo

I watched as they raced from the starting line to the finish as I stumbled off my bike. Lora was the first to throw her arms around me. "You did it!" she cheered. "You won! Haha!"

"Yeah…," I said, laughing. "I won…"

Lora was soon pushed out of the way as others surrounded me.

News reporters began shouting, asking for a comment from the Velocity race.

"Well, uh… heh…" I brushed a hand through my hair.

"What Skimmer model are you riding?" one reporter asked.

With a smile, I responded. "Uhh… III Ultra… No armor…"

"What grade fuel crystals do you use?" another shouted over the crowd.

"Four? I… I don't know. Ask Lightning Strike, he buys them."

One man reached out putting his hat on my head.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" a woman asked slyly.

I had to remember, Lora was supposed to stay secret. "I, uh… heh…" I searched for her through the crowds, catching a glimpse past the reporters.

Lora watched as the crowd grew denser and denser as the moments passed. She shook her head, walking off.

"Lora…" I muttered.

"Lora?" she asked defensively.

"Excuse me," I spoke loudly, squeezing my way through the crowd. "Move it… Damnit, get out of my way!"

The crowd dispersed once I was no longer the center of attention (and I must admit, I was starting to love it). I quickly raced after Lora, gripping her shoulder. "Lora, where are you going?"

"You power-man bastard!" Lora shouted. "I can't believe you!"

"They surrounded me! What else was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, leave? If you don't talk, they'll lose interest!"

"But—"

"But what?" she asked, holding back tears. "You're no better than those reporters…"

"Come on… You would've done the same thing in my position!"

"Duh! But I wouldn't have had to worry about you! If someone pushed you away from me, you would've ripped their head off!"

I laughed. "Me? I'm surprised you didn't!"

"The difference between me and you? I meant it literally… you didn't…"

I looked away, rubbing my neck.

"Ace, I may be a violent person, but I have a rational view of right and wrong. You, however… You've changed in the past few months. I don't know what's going on… but the Ace I met wasn't violent, power-mad, and didn't drool over other girls when I'm standing _right there_!"

"I was not drooling…"

"Tell that to her! She's still watching you!"

"She's a slut!" I retorted. "Any girl that doesn't realize I'm perfectly happy with you must be cheap…"

"You're a real asshole if you think that cheesy line will work on me."

"Well I'm kinda running out of options…"

Lora narrowed her gaze, that look of murder burning in her eyes. "Ace… if you value your life, you'll stay as far away from me as possible…"

"Lora—"

"I'm not joking this time, Ace. Just stay away from me or I _will_ kill you."

I stood there, beside myself, as she walked away. The slut was brave enough to walk up to me with Lora now out of sight and try again.

"So, this means you're single, yes?"

"You better get your grimy hands _off_ my ass or I won't hesitate to kill you in the most brutal way possible," I growled, my hand around her neck.

Wide eyes pleaded for me to let go, her painted nails clawing at my hand. Somehow, I found it in me to let go. The girl fell to her knees, quickly scrambling away.

I glanced back toward the Carnival, crying out quietly. "Lora…," I breathed.

ooo

_All right, this leaves one chapter left before the finale, totaling 2-3 chapters left. Enjoy! Hopefully I'll finish today!_


	8. Last Chance

_Ace_

This was the turn of events. Lora was no longer speaking to me, Striker kicked up my training about ten notches, and our missions were growing fewer, and yet much more dangerous. Only two weeks left, I continued to tell myself. _Two weeks_…

I dreamed of the red-headed girl I met at the track—in both contemplation and admiration. She was so strange and yet so familiar. The shield on her arm labeled her as a Storm Hawk, and yet her uniform labeled her a Cyclonian. She was very contradictory, but her powers were her strangest feature. What she could do was an impossibility, and yet if it happened… it must be possible…

She had called me comrade—if she was from the future, she, then, must know me. I quickly questioned my sanity, watching the Velocity crystal glisten as it hung before me. I admired the writing on my walls, studying every word religiously.

Today was a simple day. I had to get Lora speaking to me again, no matter the consequence. Without her cooperation, the entire operation could fall through. I knew which buttons to push, the effects of my actions… but I paid no mind to the consequence. As damaging as they could be, they weren't of much importance compared to the reward.

V2 wafted past my room, glancing in. He scanned the walls and looked at me, saddened by what was before him. "Ace…"

I grasped the crystal in my hand, glancing up toward the contraption.

He looked away, scanning the walls once more. "I hope you know what you're doing."

From the tone of his voice, it was unmistakable—V2 knew what the writing was about. The bot had yet to go off and tell Striker, and I found that to be the most strange action over the entire course of those three months. He just simply questioned my ability to handle the consequences and let me make my own mistakes.

As fatal as his actions were, he was the first person to treat me like an adult. This was my job… This was something that had to happen, and he stood on the sidelines and let fate take its course.

I held my breath as I stood up, rushing out of my room as if it were on fire. I grabbed V2's hand, pulling him with me.. Being his power supply, the machine couldn't go anywhere without it.

"Oi! Storm Boy! What's the rush?" Joe called.

"Busy!"

V2 sighed. "This is about Lora, isn't it?"

"Yes, and I need your help."

"Anything, Ace."

"Has she said anything to you, lately?"

He denied any knowledge of what happened. "I do know, however, that she is still wearing your hairpin."

I smiled. "Perfect." I released his hand, walking into the helm. I confronted Lora with a calm and serious demeanor. "We need to talk."

"Go talk to the writing on your wall," she growled.

I shook my head. "This is important."

"As important as winning the race? You didn't even want to go in the first place…"

"Is that what you're stuck on?" I laughed. "I'm over that, why aren't you?"

"Because you just stood by while the crowd knocked me over! I hurt my knee!"

"Boo-hoo. It's a small scrape."

Striker looked up, an angry scowl on his face. "It was twisted far enough around to tear tendons. Lora was lucky she got away with a scrape."

I glanced down, examining the weapon in her grasp. I back-pedaled, taking a more defensive and sympathetic approach. "Listen… I thought you were by my side. When I couldn't find you, I looked. I still couldn't see you. Lora, if I knew you were—"

"Bullshit, Ace."

I looked away. Thinking it over, I realized there was no winning with Lora. I couldn't argue with her and get out of it alive. And yet I persisted. "Don't you think if any of that mattered, I would still be worried about it?"

"Oh, sure! Because you only worry about the stuff that matters! Why haven't you come after me, then, huh? Why haven't you tried to fix this sooner? Don't I matter?"

I drew up a mental image of hitting my head against the wall repeatedly. It felt a lot better than this. I closed my eyes, trying to think. "What can I do, Lora?"

She laughed. "What else can you do, Ace?" she swung the blade around as she talked, moving nonchalantly with her hands. "Why don't you try what you've been doing? That's worked so well before! Really, Ace, try it once more. Maybe it'll work this time."

"…How many times have I done this…?"

"Six!"

"Why, again, am I trying?" I laughed, gripping onto the table. That blade was slowly reaching my skin, and I was becoming uneasy.

"Because you care, right?" The psychotic nature of her irrational answers showed she was reaching the end of her rope.

_What haven't I tried…?_

"Well, the least you could do about it is stop bitching. It's over and done with. You don't really want to be stuck on the past."

"You don't know who you're dealing with…"

Striker quickly stepped out of the room. He knew this was my problem.

"I'm dealing with a teenage girl on a violent rampage. She wants to kill a teenage boy because he did something stupid. Again. How many times have you heard teenage and stupid in the same sentence? It's common, really," I laughed. "You see—"

"Now is _NOT_ the time to act smart!" She lurched forward, inching ever closer. "If you think words are gonna fix this, you're wrong. You've run out of time, Ace, and I'm sick of you making mistakes. I'm SICK of it! I want you to apologize and mean it—words are nothing more to you than simple lip service… I don't trust your words for a moment after they hit my ears…"

"Well, that says a lot, considering you're my girlfriend…" I rubbed my neck, leaning back. I now had little breathing room between Lora and her blade.

"Now would be a real good time to take those words back," she spoke quietly, her eyes beginning to cloud.

"Bite me!"

In one swift motion, Lora had gone from being in front of me to swinging her blade—a quick evasive move saved my skin, but she killed the table behind me…

"You're really gonna start damaging property, now? I thought we were past that!"

"You're such an oblivious dick, you know that?"

"Why thank you," I laughed. If I was going to get out of this alive, I thought it would've been better to go out laughing than cowering in the corner… Even if I knew every word was killing her on the inside.

She took a better grip on her blade and came after me once more. Another miss caused her to rethink her stance.

"You haven't gotten any better, Lora…"

"That's kind of a compliment," she laughed. "However, an insult would be: neither have you…"

"Whoa, getting personal now, are we?"

"I thought we were past that…"

"Mocking! Now that's new!"

"I learned from the best…" Another swing, and she nicked my arm. I realized she was serious when she harbored no remorse—in fact, the taste of blood only fueled her fire.

"Lora… You're not serious, are you?"

"Like hell, I'm not! You've done nothing but hurt me!" Another swing—another cut.

I wasn't supposed to be intimidated by such a small girl, but with a blade like that, I had no choice. "So, you're giving up and your last resort is to kill me?"

V2 stormed in, disrupted and concerned about the noise. "What's going on? I could hear you from the cargo bay!"

Lora laughed. "You really are that blind, Sky Knight…" As she took her last swing, V2 inched between us. I closed my eyes—the swing was dead-on, and I was too distracted to move. When the dust settled, I cautiously opened one eye after another. I saw V2 on the ground, searing-hot metal seeping from his new seams. His shell rocked back and forth, unresponsive.

Lora fell to her knees. "What… have I done…?"

Blood dripped from my face—a final battle scar. I watched as Lora began to pick up his pieces, silent tears cooling his metal. She ignored the heat—the burns were insignificant. She held his hand in her own and continued to break down. This was different. I'd never seen her so vulnerable…

I stepped toward her, but the coward in my veins told me to run, and I listened. I bolted for the door as to not cause any more damage than I had already. I didn't think it would end up like this; then again, I never anticipated Lora to muster up enough courage to swing. I fled from the helm, into the supply room where I slammed the door behind me, digging for medical supplies in the shambles.

I leaned against the door, sliding down to the floor. I didn't want anyone interrupting me. I grasped onto a large roll of medical tape, alongside a roll of bandages. I ripped off a length of the off-white gauze and began to wrap the nearest injury. I tore off a small length of tape, secured the first bandage, and continued to patch myself up.

"I should've known talking wouldn't get through to her…" I shook my head, slamming it repeatedly against the door. I tore off the last piece of tape with my teeth, securing the bandage. Lora had done serious damage, much worse than it seemed.

With the aid of a mirror shard, I cleaned off the gash on my face and rose to my feet. _Maybe now that Lora is vulnerable, she will see things my way? _I laughed at myself, placing my palm against the surface of the door. _This is Lora… Who am I kidding?_

I cautiously rested my other hand on the release button, thinking all of my options through. Without resolution, I stepped out of the room in search of Lora. As if she hadn't already heard it from me a million times over, there was one last apology I needed to make, and not just to Lora…

Making my way back to the helm, I realized just how long I was gone. The entire crime scene was clear of any evidence, and Lora was missing. Striker was left to confront the suspect.

"Striker, I…"

"Don't apologize, Son."

"…But—"

"Lora will just have to find a new place to stay. She's old enough now to barter with the council… Maybe she can get into the academy?"

"What?" I asked, stunned. "Lora didn't have any part in this!"

"Don't try and cover for her, Son. She explained everything."

"And you believe her?"

"Lora apologized and promised to be off the ship before the end of the week."

"It was my fault!"

He looked down. "Ace… she explained a different scenario… Do you want to talk to her, or should I explain?" As I stayed silent, trying to answer a million questions at once, he continued. "Lora stated just this:

"I became emotionally involved with a comrade and if I don't leave now, it will cause further damage to the team. I will not compromise our integrity over a teenage crush. I… I'm sorry for all the damage I've caused. I'll be off the ship by the end of the week.

"I couldn't deny her wishes, so I have to let her do what she wants."

"Where is she?" I asked abruptly.

"Leum's lab…"

I darted off without another word. I didn't have much of a plan left at this point—I just wanted her to be happy with me. I glanced through the hazy glass around the door, watching her as she sat at the desk, picking at V2's pieces. Her hand slipped, and I lurched toward the door—her hand began bleeding instantly. As I stepped into the room, she hid her hand out of my sight, dangling it beside her.

"….Hey…"

She picked at the rest of the wreckage with her other hand, not daring to look up again. "What?"

I sat down opposite her at the desk, resting my forearms against the surface. I scooted the chair back, resting my chin on the metal desk. "…Nothing…"

"Then why are you here?"

"Am I not allowed to roam my own ship?"

"It's Mara's ship, dumb ass."

I sighed, looking toward the window. Silence filled the room. _New plan_, I thought, _If I can't get her to listen…_

"Lora…"

"Don't talk to me."

"Lora, stop. You're bleeding."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Don't lie to me, Lora. I saw you cut your hand."

She pulled her right hand up onto the desk, rubbing her left thumb over the cut.

"You should do something about it…"

She continued to fiddle with V2's innards, ignoring my suggestion.

"Hey…," I spoke quietly, trying to grasp any attention from her that I could. "Lora…?" With no vocal response, I stood up and walked to her side of the table. "Get up. Get up, or I will drag you off the chair."

"No."

"…Please…?" I begged for the first time.

Her blue eyes caught my own. She sensed a difference. Lora willingly stepped off the chair, and I instantly slid my arms around her waist, trying to derive answers out of her with a kiss. Although she awkwardly received the unwelcomed hug, she remained cold and callused in my embrace. I didn't care… If Lora was leaving, I was going to say goodbye. Formally.

She froze. She didn't understand. With my arms locked around her waist, she couldn't move. I wouldn't let her leave… This was my last chance to make a difference, and I was going to make it count; however, last resorts seem to be the most desperate… and least impacting.

Just as I had given up, letting Lora go, I began to speak. "You… can leave now…"

Without more than a second thought, Lora shook her head, throwing her arms around me, kissing me back. "You try too hard," she breathed.

"You confuse the hell out of me, Lora. You know that?" I spoke quietly, laughing.

She shook her head, kissing me once more.

"Don't leave," I begged. "Please, don't leave…"


	9. Finale

_Ace_

This was it. I woke up with a sense of knowing—I didn't have to check the calendar. This was _it_.

Lora had bartered with Striker for the past two weeks over staying on the ship. And even through our reconciliation, they both agreed she needed to leave. Lora was given the freedom to stay on the ship so long as she searched for work or housing elsewhere in the meantime.

I didn't want Lora to leave, but I knew it was for the best. The morning of her final departure, just another ordinary job search, I held her a little tighter, kissed her a little longer… She knew something was different, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"Sometimes I wonder how you're going to survive without me here…"

I brushed back my hair with my hands, laughing. "You, uh… I'll be fine, Lora. You don't give me enough credit."

She nodded, kissing my cheek. I couldn't help but steal another kiss—with the potential of dying that day, could you blame me? She waved a cheerful little wave, and flashed a beaming grin in my direction, and left the ship. She didn't know that her potential job wouldn't survive—I'd paid the men to keep her off the ship that day…

I didn't want her to be there when it happened. I didn't want her to see her so-called family be taken down by her own lover… I would explain it to her later. I would win her over like I did before…

Striker passed by, resting a hand on my shoulder. "She'll be fine, mate…"

"Buck up, _Acey!_" Joe laughed, slapping his hand hard against my back.

I winced, stepping forward. "What's today's agenda?"

"We're passing Cyclonia… Care to say goodbye?" Striker laughed.

"Or hello…"

Joe froze. "What was that?" He began to laugh once more. "I couldn't here ya, Sky Knight!"

A low growl escaped my throat. _He's gonna be the first to get it,_ I decided. If I was going to enjoy any part in such a sadistic act, it would be taking down that son of a bitch.

I put on a façade, grinning forcefully at the blond man.

"You hungry, Son?" Striker asked.

I shook my head. "Not really. I'm not entirely in the mood to eat."

"Ah… Girl troubles," he assumed. "I gotcha." He winked, stepping lightly out of the room. "Let me know if I can help you out, mate."

I nodded sarcastically, waving my hand through the air to dismiss him. I was not in a friendly mood, unless the topic was Lora. I wanted to go to sleep, and I wanted to wake up free from restraint. I'd dug my grave six feet further than necessary, and now I had to spend the rest of my life there.

I sat in my room until word of an attack. I didn't want to tip anyone off, nor did I want to wreck my already unstable nerves. I had to become the monster Anarchis anticipated I was. I had to become the monster Striker knew I could be… the monster I knew I was…

ooo

"What the hell…?"

"EVERYBODY OUT! CYCLONIAN ATTACK!"

Joe frantically ran from his room, past mine, into the helm, shouting, "SOP! ASAP! NINER, NINER! ENGAGE, ENGAGE!"

I smacked my head against the wall multiple times, the ink rubbing off against my skin. I wiped off my forehead and examined my walls for the last time. This was _it_. I fell back, watching my ceiling as it shook—they were firing at the ship…

Striker clung to my doorway. "Get up, Sky Knight."

"Why?" I asked, undetermined to move.

"Cyclonian Talon attack, that's why. We need _everyone_. LEUM!" he shouted, rushing into the lab.

I grabbed my keys off the nearby nightstand and slowly stood up, calming my nerves—impossible, yes, but it had to be done regardless.

I gripped onto the doorway and trailed my fingers along the walls as I walked nonchalantly to the Skimmers, trying my best to keep calm. Panicking about the attack—regardless of my side—would cause a sloppy job, and I couldn't afford that.

I leaned against Striker's bike and waited quietly as the team pulled their shit together. When Striker entered the room, another shot shook the ship, threatening to rip through its walls. "Let's go. Everyone, 4-2-51, do you understand? Protocal 4-2-51. No excuses."

Silence from the team showed uncertainty, yet uncontested compliance. They would do whatever it took.

Striker nodded and trailed the others off the ship. I grabbed my blade as a last-moment defense before climbing onto the bike behind my leader. We took off into the clouds, and I listened as he commanded my old comrades. Kale and Leum took formation 6, Joe and Striker were to follow formation 2. Before Striker had the chance…

I took mine.

I glanced toward the other talons, flashing up a familiar signal. They cornered off Joe and the others, giving me plenty of space. I gripped onto my blade, giving one last sigh.

"Where are they going…?" Striker contemplated, confused. Their actions had no rhyme or reason.

I stood up on the seat behind him, raising my blade. "Take us down," I demanded.

A slight glance in his rearview mirrors—nothing more—and Striker followed my command. I smiled.

"It was nice while it lasted, Sky Knight…"

He took the Skimmer as far down as it would go, landing in the wastelands. He climbed off the bike and faced the magma.

I kept a close distance, though I stayed farther from the edge than my former leader.

"You know… the day you joined the team, I knew you would be trouble. I just was never entirely sure how much trouble you would be… Ace, you're a good kid… but your heart has been corrupted by power. And with a mindset like that… you can never be a Sky Knight." He knew _exactly_ what he was talking about.

"I've been keeping a close eye on you… I've watched your peculiar actions for the past month… Nothing seemed so out of the ordinary as how close you held Lora. No one else meant so much to you, and it seemed as if no one ever would."

I looked down—a sore spot.

"You'd never shown such compassion before. You were part of a team, Ace. You were part of our family. That feeling is required to be mutual, or the team will fall apart at the seams. You never returned our feelings." He took another step forward. "Illyra will be crushed when she hears of our defeat…"

"You anticipated this…"

"I have no doubt you will accomplish your mission. My team is smart enough to know when to back down. No matter how strong the hero, he must know in his heart when to step down and accept defeat." He took yet another step toward the molten rock.

"Illyra… She's dead," I forced. "Your precious son is safe… Joe? Your right-hand man?" I laughed. "His wife, Kana… she's dead. His kids? Gone. You understand the gravity of the situation…" I never anticipated his spitting image of a son to come out of it alive.

He nodded. "Ace… Aerrow will take my place in due time. You understand this, correct?" He knew he was going to die… The man never once mentioned death, however.

I flipped my blade in my hand. "I've planned for everything." I lifted the blade.

One chance of mercy… He spoke up with no expectations, "Push me in. At the very least, push me in. You don't have to go after the others…"

I wanted him to fight back. It was too easy! I'd prepared for every outcome except a willing soul. I never expected him to take his demise so easily.

I lurched forward, gripping Striker's collar. I pulled him back and forced him down. I glared back as he stared me dead in the eye. "You knew this was coming from day one, Lightning _Strike_. You never could trust me, and you were always spot-on with your instincts. You should've stood firm when you said no to the academy." I crouched over him, one knee on the hardened lava, and the other perched in the air.

His eyes were emotionless, regretless, and held no resent. He apologized, "I should've tried harder."

"Shut up and die…"I slashed his torso twice—deep. He wasn't dead, no. Not nearly.

Lightning Strike cried out in agony, but not once did he ask for help, or forgiveness. He took his sentence humbly. His head hung over the edge, his hair beginning to singe with the searing heat. He winced, involuntary tears streaming across his sullied face. I chucked my blade aside, ripping his pride, his honor—his headgear—from his head and tossed it aside as well. I searched desperately for another tool.

Too easy.

I grabbed a large, rounded, dry hunk of lava. I chucked it against the ground, smashing his foot. Striker cried out again, and I smiled. Suddenly, the sounds of pain and agony had grown from sickening to musical. I enjoyed it.

I wanted him to pay for all the jokes, all the trouble, all the disrespect… I deserved respect. I was human, I was breathing… I heard everything they said about me when I wasn't there. I wanted to get him back.

I looked around, in search of my blade. I pulled the trigger and watched as the crystal fueled the flame. A searing hot blade didn't guarantee a painless cut. In fact, the pain was ten times worse than a dull butter knife. I lowered the tip of the blade into the obsidian and dragged it through, cutting through his shoulder with ease. The rock turned into lava, cooling an instant later. I flicked my blade upward, the melted rock dripping from its core.

When his cries silenced, I realized he'd succumbed to his injuries. Static from his radio posed as fitting music for a dramatic farewell, but I wasn't finished—not just yet. I picked the boulder back up and screamed as I threw it back down, smashing in his skull.

_Now_ I was done. _Now _I could leave things be…

I tossed his body into the river of magma and stood at the edge, watching him disappear, disintegrating like rice paper.

Although, through my selfish reasoning, revenge was not my only motive. I knew what Cyclonia would do to him if I chose not to do it myself. I showed him mercy. What they would've done to him was inhumane, even for Cyclonia. They would've locked him up in a cell covered with filth and disease. They would break him, again and again. They would bend his bones in directions humanly impossible and toss him back in that cell, bleeding and bruised. They would lock him in a freezer, covered in metal blankets. They would never think to mend his wounds… No one would hear him scream. And just when he couldn't take it anymore, they would beat him senseless again. And laugh… And they would toss him back into that cell every goddamn night.

When it was over, they would set him free, crippled, blind, and defenseless—always looking over his shoulder, always wondering when they would come back, and you know they would. And he would die at the hands of his prior captors, mercilessly.

I gave him that chance… I took him down quick. If I hadn't, no one would've shown him mercy, and even _I_ couldn't bear that thought.

I took down Joe much the same. Back through the clouds, into the atmosphere, I went in search of my team. Sweating from the heat of the Wastelands, shaking from the adrenaline, I looked like I had been in a serious predicament. Luckily, that played in my favor. Back in range, Striker's radio picked up familiar voices.

"Come on, Striker! Answer me!" Leum called.

"Hey… Hey… It's Ace… Someone took down our Skimmer, one of the talons," I lied, a mischievous smile on my face. "Striker's down there… He told me to go, he wanted me to help you out."

For once, Joe didn't question his leader's decision regarding a _child_. "Sector four, 8-2-6-9. Go!"

I followed his formation demands and met Joe at the far corner of the Condor. Mara, manning the ship, kept his eye on the attackers, not his team. I was safe.

I threw up a hand, flashing another signal toward the oncoming talons. "Take him down," I silently instructed. I couldn't do it alone. I wanted Joe's Skimmer immobilized—I could handle the rest alone. And once Joe's Skimmer began to sputter and dive, I came to his 'rescue.'

He held out a hand, large blue eyes begging for help. I was too far away. I wouldn't have helped him anyway. Joe jumped ship, pulling his 'chute line in a moment's time. I quickly flew down to his level and leaned against the steering controls, watching him closely.

"….Ace…. It was you, wasn't it… You were the talon that took down Striker…"

I smiled, swinging my blade out. I cut his parachute in two, and when I knew he was well and gone, on the ground and immobilized, I landed. I stood over his motionless body and laughed.

I would enjoy this…

Nothing held me back—no morals, no bullshit. I wanted Joe dead from the first crack he made about me. Now, this was my chance to take back every last joke, every last piece of disrespect tossed my way. I tore Joe apart much like Striker.

I was stunned to find blood pouring from the first wound—the fall hadn't killed the blond bastard. I ripped his arm from his body brutally, not as clean cut as Striker's by any means. I chucked his arm into the lava and watched him closely. His chest no longer rose, nor fell. He was gone, yet my instincts told me to continue, they told me to rip him to shreds.

I lugged his body over to the edge, wading him into the lava up to his waist. I propped him up with his own crossbow, jamming it through his chest. The blood flash-boiled as it hit the lava.

I sat back and watched as he began to burn. I was satisfied. Joe got every bit back that he spit out at me… Everything he deserved… When his lower-half separated from his upper-half, there wasn't enough to keep him in the lava, and he fell in. I stood up and ripped the crossbow from the rock, grasping one of his remaining arrows. I shot it into a nearby rock—with a less than desirable aim—and hung his goggles from it; a fitting grave marker, I decided.

I searched the area for scattered debris, picking up Striker's headgear along the way. I sat back down by his Skimmer and sighed. Now that my selfish motivation was accomplished, I felt there was nothing else keeping me fighting the war.

The talons would take care of the Condor and the others… Why would I be needed? I did my job—I destroyed the Storm Hawks. That's what I would report to Master Anarchis… She wouldn't contest it, not with their blood staining my uniform. But I rose to my feet. I clung onto his headgear and stuffed it into his Skimmer, taking off back into the clouds.

I took my rightful place at the head of the group, riding a more than fitting Switchblade. I sent Striker's Skimmer into the wastelands with the rest of them. When Leum caught my eye, I knew that was the last time my old team would see me as a Storm Hawk. I stood up on my Switchblade and jammed the anticipated Firebolt in place.

The fight was over before it even begun.

"Take down the Condor," I instructed. The talons were at my beck and call, and the Condor was down in mere moments.

I took the Switchblade on an alternate route, keeping watch at the coastline of Lynn. I noted we had an audience… I sat up from my slumped position and decided that an audience of one was no better than no audience at all. I would take care of the miniscule problem.

At a decent altitude, I jumped from the Switchblade and abandoned it in the air, landing on the ground in one swift motion. The face of the bystander was one I never hoped to see. Not now, not like this.

"That's his blood, isn't it," she stated plainly.

I laughed, standing up straight. "Not only," I contested.

Lora reached into her bag, chucking a piece of metal my direction. "You'll need this." Her voice was cold and unconcerned. She'd lost all respect for me. It wasn't a matter of resentment or anger… I'd blown my last chance. There was no winning her back this time.

I assumed the role of monster and stepped forward. "They had to die."

"Of course they did." She gripped the metal disk inserted into her armor, throwing it to the ground. "I don't need that anymore… I doubt it'll be much use to anyone, now."

I stepped forward, examining her Storm Hawks insignia, alongside the rusted piece of metal she'd tossed my way. I leaned over, picking it up. It was the headgear Lora had so kindly made me at the Velocity race… I'd denied it then, but now…

"It suits you… Monster…" Her emotions began to rise. I could sense the tears, I could feel the burning anger, I could feel the rising tension.

"Thanks," I laughed, placing it atop my head. This was a symbol of everything I had gained, and everything I lost. It never left my sight.

She shifted in her tracks, her blade swinging left, then right, on her back.

I rubbed my neck, watching her as she stood there, silently.

"Why?" she asked quietly, choking back tears. "WHY? You planned this… YOU DECEIVED US ALL! You lied to me…" She quickly stepped toward me. "You told me you loved me!" The tears fell freely—uncontrollably—as she took a grip on my left arm.

"You… told me you loved me.. HOW COULD YOU?" In one swift motion, she shattered my arm. She ripped the skin, she fractured the bone, and rendered my arm useless. The pain was enough to bring any man down, but I had to stay standing. I couldn't go down like this.

I couldn't show her the weakness she craved.

"You're not human…" She poked at my chest. I winced, grimacing through my evident agony. "No human could tolerate such sadism without going mad."

"Mad…," I breathed. "We're all… mad…"

She shoved me forward and I lost my grip on my shattered arm, my fingers digging into the damaged skin. I screamed. I fell to the ground. Lora stepped forward and slammed her foot down onto my arm, twisting it back and forth. "You're nothing!" she screamed. "You're pathetic! Worthless!"

I laid there and continued to scream, continued to cry out. The pain was unbearable. Blood began to seep from my arm, showing the true nature of how much damage was done.

Her foot moved. She crushed my elbow under her foot, and my bones easily gave way. I screamed again. "And you think this will give you power…? You think they're going to treat you any better over _there_? Cyclonia is a place of master manipulators! They don't care about you… They… they want what they want… and they will use _whoever_ they have to just to get it! You're a pawn!"

She stepped back, looming over me as I bit back the pain—quite unsuccessfully. "You were fooled… You were easily tricked… Just as easily as you tricked me… You had me played the whole time, didn't you?"

"NO!" I cried. "I… I tried… I tried to pull… p-pull you in… I tri-ied to get you m-mixed up in-n the cat-tas-strophe… I could-n't. I… I jus…just couldn't… I l-loved y-you en-nough to kn-know where to s-stop…"

"Bull. Shit." Lora laughed through her tears. "Bullshit! You can't lie to me, Ace. No one can lie to me!"

I forced a smile. No one could ever lie to Lora… She was too smart…

"I'm done," she decided. "I've had my say and I'm done…" Lora turned on her heels and began to leave.

I forced myself, through the pain and agony, to sit up. I wanted to call out to her, I wanted her to come back… but there was no use, now… It was over.. I gripped my bleeding arm tighter in agony, watching her walk away. I glanced at the Storm Hawks emblem on the ground as the Atmos began to shutter, the Condor falling through the clouds.

And she shouted back, "I'll be the memory you wish you could forget, and the one you can never erase. Goodbye, Dark Ace… I hope you're happy."


End file.
